Common buzzard Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Common buzzard

Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Buteo
Binomial name
*Buteo buteo* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Dark green: All-year distribution Light green/blue: Breeding/winter range of Steppe Buzzard.

Buteo buteo

The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a bird of prey, very widespread in the Old World. It lives in most of Europe and into Asia. It is between 51 and 57 cm in length. The wings are between 110–150 cm (48–60 inch) when spread out. They may be coloured from almost pure white to black. Usually, they are brown.

It breeds in woodlands. It hunts over open land. It eats mainly small prey, such as insects, rodents, small birds and eggs. It may also take prey heavier than itself, like adult grouse, and rabbits. It can be seen walking over recently ploughed fields looking for worms and insects.

Buzzards do not normally form flocks, but several may be seen together on migration or in a good habitat. Pairs mate for life.

Some 16 subspecies have been described and up to 11 may be valid. Some authors accept as few as seven.

Clouet, Michel and Wink, Michael (2000): The Buzzards of Cape Verde (Buteo (buteo) bannermani) and Socotra (Buteo buteo spp.) - First results of a genetic analysis based on nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene. Alauda 68(1): 55-58. PDF fulltext
Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom and Grant, Collins Bird Guide ISBN: 0-00-219728-6

A typical brown buzzard of the race (B. b. buteo) in the Netherlands.

Images for kids

Buteo buteo rothschildi – MHNT
The steppe race of the common buzzard (B. b. vulpinus) is usually distinguished from the nominate race (B. b. buteo) by being more rufous in hue (and more polymorphic)
Buteo buteo vulpinus – MHNT
A dark individual from Europe
A pale individual in Europe
Although they can look compact when perched, buzzards may appear large and long-winged in flight.
Juvenile forest buzzards of Africa are extremely easy to mistake for juvenile common buzzards of the steppe race that come to winter in Africa.
Common buzzard often inhabit the interface of woods and open areas.
Buzzards spend much of their day perched.
A steppe buzzard migrating through Israel, where buzzards have one of the largest raptor migrations in the world.
An illustration of a buzzard preying on a rodent.
A buzzard with a freshly caught rodent, likely a vole.
A crow mobs a buzzard. Buzzards will readily prey on crows, especially their fledglings.
A buzzard that caught a large Green whip snake but was flushed from its catch.
A juvenile white-tailed eagle being mobbed by a pair of common buzzards over the Isle of Canna, as the eagle will sometimes prey on the buzzard.
The remains of a common buzzard that was preyed on by a Eurasian eagle-owl.
A pair of common buzzards in Scotland.
A territorial dogfight between three buzzards in the Azores.
The much plainer egg of the common buzzard contrasted with that of the European honey buzzard.
Two young buzzard nestlings.
A common buzzard recent fledgling in a pine tree.
A wintering steppe buzzard in South Africa.
At Hamerton Zoo, England
In flight, Devon, England. There are around 40,000 breeding pairs in the United Kingdom
Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
A young buzzard being ringed
Infertile egg of a Buzzard (Buteo buteo).

Common buzzard facts for kids

Images for kids

See also