Documentary showcases rare honey buzzard

The Forestry Bureau authorized the environmental organization Taiwan Raptor Research Group (TRRG) to monitor the mysterious species on the island beginning in 2004. They began shooting the documentary two years ago in an effort to help preserve the species.

Living mainly on pupae of wasps, Oriental Honey Buzzards systematically attack the wasps' nests. The documentary shows that an experienced fighter buzzard dives in towards the nest, clutching it in its claws and immediately taking off. A cloud of angry wasps then squeezes out of the nest, chasing after the buzzard.

A second attack bird repeats the quick landing on the nest, attracting another horde of wasps. As the sky hums with wasps, more and more of the raptors take turns attacking the nest until, finally, the insects are worn out. Overpowering a wasps' nest can take hundreds of attacks, over at least two days. After all this effort, the buzzards are free to stick their heads into the nest to enjoy the feast.

Unlike other birds of prey, Oriental Honey Buzzards do not battle alone, according to the Forestry Bureau. When the raptor finds a target, it circles above and perches in a nearby tree to observe the environment. Even when other birds arrive, the group does not immediately fly towards the nest; instead, they “communicate” with each other, hovering over the target.

They eventually begin the battle in a couple of days. If the group of birds is less than five, the Oriental Honey Buzzards take off, saving their stamina for the next fight. The birds' means of communication is still unknown.

The birds' ability to withstand numerous painful wasp stings is yet another mystery. The documentary's cameraman Liang Jie-de, speculates that perhaps the feathers on their crest are uniquely tough structures, like the scales of snake, despite an appearance similar to other birds. The birds, however, are not completely impervious to stings. After harassing a nest for a while, the raptors will fly away, taking a short break before engaging in the next round of attacks.

Like a ninja in the woods, Oriental Honey Buzzards were difficult for the film's photography team to track down. To capture traces of the birds, filmmakers put themselves at risk many times, inspecting every nest and beehive they encountered, often antagonizing bees, bumblebees and hornets, and getting stung. Liang, a veteran nature photographer for more than 20 years, has been in danger many times, including one incident in which he was stung by an insect 13 times; afterwards even the doctor was surprised that he survived, Liang said.

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