White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa) — Vellore, 10 Oct 2025
White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa)
Location & Date: Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India — 10 Oct 2025
EXIF: Nikon Z9 + NIKKOR 800 mm | 1/1250 | f/6.3 | ISO 125 | Morning light from photographer’s left; slight backlight
Tamil name: வெள்ளைக் கண் வைரி
EXIF: Nikon Z9 + NIKKOR 800 mm | 1/1250 | f/6.3 | ISO 125 | Morning light from photographer’s left; slight backlight
Tamil name: வெள்ளைக் கண் வைரி
Field Note
At sunrise I reached a small rocky rise filled with birdsong. High over the same rock where I once saw a Shaheen, a raptor appeared and settled to preen. Reviewing the frames confirmed a White-eyed Buzzard, calm and freshening up for the day.
Identification
Pale/whitish iris (“white-eyed” look)
Brown upperparts; pale throat with a dark median streak
Rufous tail with a narrow darker band
Yellow cere and legs; broad wings, rounded tail; medium size (~38–43 cm)
Behavior & Diet
Perches on exposed rocks/poles; makes short sallies to the ground
Eats large insects (locusts/grasshoppers) most often; also lizards, small rodents, frogs
Voice: soft, whistled pee-ee notes
Habitat & Range
Open farmland, scrub, and village edges with scattered trees and rocky outcrops; widespread across much of the Indian subcontinent.
Look-alike Tip
Not a Shaheen (Peregrine Falcon): note the pale iris, rufous tail, less pointed wings and slower, buoyant flight compared with the falcon’s sharp, fast stoops.
Credit
© Sundararajan Photography
