Bee-Eating Bird

Honey buzzards, also known as crested honey buzzards, have a uniquely dangerous diet. While most animals would stay far away from the buzzing nests of bees, these birds fly into the fire. This incredible video by @myanimality shows how extraordinary the honey buzzard’s natural defenses are. This bird would take thousands of stings just for a snack, but their feathers conceal a secret weapon.

The Bees Never See It Coming

Bees have many natural predators, but none as swift as the honey buzzard. This bird strikes quickly and can infiltrate a hive in seconds, as seen in slow-motion in this video. Their diet consists mainly of bee and wasp larvae. They occasionally eat honeycomb, but their main source of protein is the insects themselves. Some honey buzzards consume cicadas and small reptiles, but these attacks are nowhere near as dramatic as those on hives.

This video shows off the powerful beak and talons of the carnivorous bird. Their beaks are hooked, which helps them dig into hives to reach bees and honeycomb. The honey buzzard’s eyes are set back on its head, offering protection when digging in a hive. Both their beaks and their talons help dig into underground nests as well. When attacking ground nests, these birds can easily prey on wasps while destroying underground tunnels.

Do Honey Buzzards Get Stung?

Experts have been able to confirm that honey buzzards do take stings when diving into a nest. It would be nearly impossible to avoid the wrath of such a colony, but these birds have natural defenses. Their wings differ from those of other hawks, and their feathers are far more dense. Additionally, their feathers function more like scales. These grow so close together that they form a protective shell on the bird, keeping most stingers from penetrating.

These feathers extend to the bird’s head, providing extra protection against an onslaught of stings. Honey buzzards don’t spend more time than necessary attacking a hive, reducing the number of stings they take. Honey buzzards have even been known to take on the hives of Asian hornets, showing how much their scale-like armor has evolved.

The Fate of the Bees

Thankfully, honey buzzards are well-versed in eating a variety of bees and wasps. If they preyed specifically on honeybees, their presence would likely be more of an issue in the face of endangered bees. While they are natural predators to honeybees due to their taste for honeycomb, they have a wide selection of flying, stinging insects from which to choose.

Beekeepers who live in regions where honey buzzards thrive are well aware of their presence. They have methods of warding off the bee-eating birds, successfully protecting honeybees and their hives. Honey buzzards are also viewed as somewhat of a help since they consume wasps, which can harm beekeepers and honeybees.