The Buzzards are Coming -- Join Them for Breakfast

The buzzards are due to return to Hinckley Thursday morning, and hundreds of people will be there to greet them.

The Cleveland Metroparks will host its annual buzzard watch at Buzzards Roost in the Hinckley Reservation. The event starts at 7 a.m. and lasts until the first Buzzard is spotted.

Grab the binoculars and search the skies with Cleveland Metroparks "Official Buzzard Spotter" Dr. Bob Hinkle (recently-retired Chief of Outdoor Education) to welcome back the buzzards with open "wings" to their summer roost.

Visitors from far and wide, armed with cameras, binoculars and, most importantly, a sense of humor, flock to the Buzzard Roost in Hinckley Reservation to await the official spotting of the season's first buzzard (turkey vulture) - - but, just remember - "no one spots a buzzard 'til the 'Official Buzzard Spotter' spots one first."

Buzzard Sunday

Everyone is invited back to Buzzards Roost on Sunday, March 18 for the Metroparks annual Buzzard Sunday celebration from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The free event features a buzzard scoreboard, displays and exhibits, naturalist-led hikes, live bird programs, musical entertainment, puppet shows, Buzzard Bingo games for kids, bus tours of Hinckley Reservation, EarthWords Nature Shop with unique buzzard-related merchandise and refreshments.

New this year, adults, ages 21 and over, can purchase a variety of beers at the "Buzzards Beer Garden."

In conjunction with the event, the Hinckley Chamber of Commerce sponsors a pancake breakfast and art/craft show from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Hinckley Elementary School (Route 303, east of Route 94 in Hinckley Township). For information on the Hinckley Chamber of Commerce activities, call 330-278-2066.

The Buzzard Roost is located at the corner of State Road and West Drive in Hinckley Township.

 For more information on Cleveland Metroparks buzzard-related activities, call440-526-1012, 216-635-3200 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

Some Buzzard History

In 1957 - 55 years ago, Walter Nawalaniec, ranger for Cleveland Metropolitan Park System (now known as Cleveland Metroparks), told a newspaper reporter that on March 15 he had witnessed for six straight years the turkey vultures returning to Hinckley Reservation. The Cleveland Press printed the story on February 15, 1957, and one month later on March 15 at 2 p.m. the first buzzard was spotted by 9,000 buzzard enthusiasts. Since then, thousands and thousands more visitors have witnessed the return of the buzzards to Hinckley Reservation.

Turkey vultures are considered birds of prey, but they are primarily scavengers and not hunters. Buzzards feed on carcasses of small to large animals. They usually hunt at altitudes of 200 feet or less, but have been observed in their northward migration flying as high as 5,000 feet.

The buzzard's elongated beak lacks the powerfully-decurved hook typical of other birds of prey, and their legs and feet are relatively weak. A buzzard weighs between 3 to 6 pounds and their wingspan can be up to 6 feet. Buzzards can live as long as 20 years.