Status in UK
Winter Visitor only massive fluctuations depending on success in breeding areas.

Brief description

Length up to 60 cm, and wingspan of around 150 cm.  The weight is comparable to Common Buzzard at around 1.6kg.

Would be easily mistaken for Common Buzzard, and is named Rough Legged because of its adaptation to life in its breeding area of near artic conditions.
The rough legged Buzzard has a unique covering of feathers running full length of the legs to the beginning of the toes.

Habitat
Artic tundra and forest areas, in UK same as Common Buzzard.

Diet
Like Common Buzzard except this Buzzard in its breeding would rely greatly on Lemming numbers, however if visiting UK during the winter period would feed on similar prey to the Common Buzzard.

The rough legged Buzzard would be mainly observed in the Eastern half of the UK as we are on the extreme western edge of its winter movements, however is the pressure of prey numbers does occur then even the western half the UK may be able to observe this un common winter visitor.