19/06/2026
The Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus)
This is an impressive medium- to large-sized bird of prey, endemic to Southern Africa. It is especially known for its striking reddish-brown breast and a distinctive call that closely resembles the cry of a jackal.
Appearance: Adults have a bright chestnut-brown breast and a black back. They measure 55–62 cm in length and weigh between 900 and 1,700 g. Striking white wing panels are clearly visible in flight. From below, they can easily be mistaken for a Bateleur
Habitat: They prefer mountainous regions, grasslands, and open habitats, and are often resident birds in these areas — ranging from sea level up to about 3,000 meters above sea level.
Diet: They feed mainly on small mammals (rats and mice), small birds, lizards, and occasionally insects.
Behavior: They often hunt by soaring high in the sky or by watching for prey from a vantage point (such as a pole or rock). I have frequently found them perched atop the Euphorbia ingens in mountainous areas. The euphorbia provides shelter for smaller creatures such as rock hyraxes, cane rats, bushbabies, snakes, and other bird species — hence their preference for sitting at the tops of these trees.
Breeding and intimacy: The Jackal Buzzard is a territorial resident bird that lives in pairs and breeds early in summer. They build sturdy stick nests on cliffs or in trees and often reuse the same nest year after year. The pairs remain together through the seasons and perform impressive aerial displays to defend their territory and strengthen their bond.
What can we learn and take with us?
“As the Jackal Buzzard soars high on the warm air currents, so we too are called to lift our lives toward the light of God. His wings carry him above the mountains, his eyes see farther than man can dream — and yet he always returns to his nest, to his mate, to his calling. May we also, in this broken world, with the grace of Christ, learn to fly high without fear, but always return to the love and the light that anchor us.”
