Food Habits of the Madagascar Buzzard in the Rain Forest of the Masoala Peninsula

I examined the food habits of the Madagascar Buzzard (Buteo brachypterus) in the rain forest of the Masoala Peninsula in northeastern Madagascar from August to December 1991 and from September 1992 to January 1993. I located Madagascar Buzzard nests and recorded prey deliveries from observation blinds that I constructed near each nest. I recorded 318 prey deliveries, including 74 (23.3%) birds, 65 (20.4%) lizards other than chameleons, 35 (11.0%) chameleons, 19 (6.0%) snakes, 14 (4.4%) frogs, 9 (2.8%) arthropods, 7 (2.2%) rats, and 95 (29.9%) unidentified. I was able to assign 123 (38.7%) of the prey deliveries to size classes based on 5-cm body length intervals. This study was the first record of the occurrence of birds in the diet of the Madagascar Buzzard. The results are consistent with other accounts in suggesting that the Madagascar Buzzard is a dietary generalist.