Ontbrekende staartpennen bij Wespendieven Pernis apivorus

Four cases of adult Honey Buzzards are described, in which many more rectrices were missing than could be accounted for by moult. A series of rectrices was found underneath a failed nest, apparently implicating two different birds (Photo 1). The shaft of the feathers was undamaged, ruling out predation by marten. Two other cases involved soaring birds, both lacking all but two rectrices (Fig. 1). It is hypothesised that predation attempts by Goshawks Accipiter gentilis may have caused the Honey Buzzards to lose most or all of their tail feathers (fright moult?).