Oriental Honey Buzzard

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Oriental Honey Buzzard

Gujarati Name : મધીયો બાજ

Hindi Name : Madhuya

Ahmedabad gets really hot in summers ( around 45-48 deg Celcius). Even though we stay indoors, it becomes unbearable without air conditioners. Even animals around our house, dogs, cats and birds reduce all their activities post 11 am only to resume at around 4 or 4.30 pm. So, it is unusually quiet in the garden in afternoons in this season. Last week, while busy with my meeting online one evening, sitting near a window, I saw a shadow of a large bird flying by. Suddenly, all the birds dispersed frantically for shelter. It was definitely a predatory bird which had come for surveillance. I wanted to leave the desk and investigate but that would seem so unprofessional.


Oriental Honey Buzzard

So, once I was disengaged, I leapt for my camera to take a chance and see if the bird was still around. Fortunately, things had not returned to normal out there. Changing into dull earthy colored clothes, lest I highlight my presence, I went on a lookout. Perched on a sparsely leafed Gulmohar tree was a handsome raptor, waiting patiently before swooping down on its prey. It did not look like a typical eagle, with a grey head, slightly greyish brown wings, white underbody and tail and a dark band at the tail end. Due to these features I had initially identified it as a Grey Headed Fish Eagle. But according to bird lovers with years of experience, the second picture, showing long neck and small head like a pigeon was diagnostic of it being an Oriental Honey Buzzard.



In Indian mythology, raptors have a special status of ‘Garuda’, vehicle of God Vishnu and an associate of Indra and the Sun. According to one story, Garuda stole the pot of amrut ( nectar), obtained from churning of the oceans, from Lord Indra. Indra chased him and hurled a thunderbolt at him. It did not harm Garuda one feather, instead it broke the bolt.






Location: Mitthi, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382210, India

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