Is France’s buzzard population at risk?
All native birds of prey are protected in the country
The species often perches on fence posts and trees hunting for mice and other rodents at ground level
Marcin Perkowski/Shutterstock
Reader question: Each year we drive from the UK to the Alps, and between Calais and the mountains often see buzzards. In the last two years we have seen fewer birds. Are they are threatened species?
The common buzzard (buse variable) is one of France’s most frequently spotted birds of prey, seen throughout the country.
It often perches on fence posts and trees hunting for mice and other rodents at ground level – hence why you often spotted them during your drives.
Despite your impression, buzzard populations in France are stable, states bird charity Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux (LPO).
Buzzards have been a protected species in France since 1972 – as have all other native birds of prey – and are rarely impacted by human interference.
They are often appreciated by farmers, who help install perches for the birds, as they can catch rodents, voles, and other pests who consume crops.
There is no indication from the LPO that the population is facing a higher-than-usual threat, and the species has not been included on any list of endangered species by the UN.
Several thousand paired buzzard couples have been recorded since the 1990s, keeping the population stable. However, removal of hedgerows and some grassland in western France has contributed to a reduced population in that area.
Buzzard numbers increase significantly between September and February, as birds who spend the summer in Scandinavia move south to warmer climates in France and Germany, and populations native to France may stay here year-round (although some opt to migrate further south to Africa).
If you usually travelled in the winter but took recent journeys in the spring/summer, this may have been the reason why you saw fewer birds.
