What to Know About Lizard Buzzard in Uganda?

The Lizard Buzzard in Uganda is one of the African birds in Uganda seen during a Uganda birding tour. It is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is native to Uganda in Murchison falls national park.

Despite its name, it may be more closely related to the Accipiter hawks than the Buteo buzzards.

The lizard buzzard is a smallish stocky raptor with a total body length of 35–37 cm and a wingspan of about 79 cm. Males weigh 246 g, females 304 g on average. It has a longevity of up to 9years.

How Does the Lizard Buzzard in Uganda Look Like?

Lizard Buzzard is a small African bird of prey. Adult male has grey upperparts, paler face and wing coverts, and pale grey rump.

Primary feathers are tipped black, and upper wing is dark grey. Underparts are grey. Throat is white with conspicuous vertical black line on center.

Upper breast is unmarked grey, whereas lower breast and belly are white, with narrow dark grey bars. Vent is pale grey.

Under wings are white with narrow dark bars, and primaries are tipped black. Head is grey with paler face.

Hooked bill is black with red cere. Eyes are dark reddish-brown, with orange-red eye-ring.

It has short, stout, red legs and feet. Both sexes are similar, with female larger than male. Juvenile resembles adults, but is has back and upper wing feathers tipped with brown, and underparts washed brown.

It has pale tips to flight and tail feathers in fresh plumage.  Eyes are brown, then turning pale yellow, before to become reddish-brown at one year. Cere and legs are rather orange than red.

How Does the Lizard Buzzard in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Lizard Buzzard utters loud “pee-oh” often in series during displays or when it establishes territory. It can also utter series of fluting notes “kli-oo, kluklukluklukluklu” similar to song.

It gives these sounds with bill raised upright. It can sometimes call while soaring.

How Does the Lizard Buzzard in Uganda Feed?

Lizard Buzzard feeds mainly on small reptiles such as lizards, geckos and snakes. It also eats small mammals such as rabbits, mice and other rodents, and also small birds killed with its sharp claws.

It also hawks insects in flight such as butterflies, bees, wasps, and hunts locusts and ants.

How Does the Lizard Buzzard in Uganda Nest?

Nest is a small platform placed in fork in tree at various heights. It is built by both adults, with one bringing materials while the other builds the solid structure with sticks.

Interior is lined with debris, moss and leaves. It is protected from intruders by branches and foliage.

How Does the Lizard Buzzard in Uganda Breed?

Breeding season occurs between September and November with some variations according to the range, but it usually occurs in the dry season. Lizard Buzzard breeds mainly in woodlands, rather than in exotic plantations.

How Does the Lizard Buzzard in Uganda Reproduce?

Female lays 1 to 3 white eggs. Incubation is by female. Male feeds her during this period, on the nest or close to it.

She sometimes leaves the nest for hunting herself. Male spends most of its time near the nest. Mates maintain contact by frequent calls.