Een zonnebadende Buizerd Buteo buteo

On 17 and 27 August 2001 (at 11.15 and 13.20 hr respectively,), a juvenile Common Buzzard adopted a full-spreadeagle sunning posture on the sun-exposed roof of a bam in the northern Netherlands. Ambient temperatures were 22 and 30°C respectively. On 17 August it was partly overcast, and the bird started sunning after the sun reappeared from behind clouds. On 27 August, clouds were lacking. In both cases, the bird had been eating first, using the bam as a resting site for preening and sunbathing. The bird was lying on the sloping roof, back turned toward the sun and with rectrices only slightly spread (Photo 1, 2). It was vigilant all the time. Even on 27 August (30°C), the bird did not show any signs of heat stress: coverts nor feathers from mantle, head or neck were fluffed, the bill was closed and panting was of short duration (Photo 2). After sunbathing for 7-10 minutes, the bird closed its wings (Photo 3) and started preening for several minutes (Photo 4). This bird was taken into captivity on 7 July (left wing slightly damaged, bird unable to fly) and released on 20 July, when ectoparasites were absent (chewing lice, louse-flies, ticks or mites).