Buzzard breeding distribution and abundance in Britain and Northern Ireland in 1983

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Abstract
The British breeding range of Buzzards contracted in the nineteenth century, due mainly to persecution by gamekeepers. A partial recovery occurred after the First World War, but the species remained more or less restricted to western Britain. A survey was conducted in 1983 to see whether the Buzzard had re-colonized any more of its former range since the 1968–72 Breeding Atlas. The survey showed that there had been some improvement, especially in Northern Ireland, but that east and northeast Scotland was an obvious exception to this trend, due (apparently) to continued persecution there. Elsewhere, recolonization has occurred mainly along the edges of the Buzzard's range, but largely through infilling, with little sign of eastwards expansion since 1968–72. Within the Buzzard's main range along the western side of Britain, mean densities of soaring birds were higher in England and Wales than in Scotland. The population may now be in the order of 12 000–15 000 territorial pairs. Factors which currently influence the range and abundance of Buzzards are discussed; these include upland afforestation and human persecution.