Bird Album
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758)
45–50 cmLength124 cmWingspan759 gWeight
European birds vary greatly in plumage, some with blackish-brown upperparts and others largely white.
Busiest months: March–April and September–October · Most records: United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal
How to identify
Field marks
- Most have a fairly rounded head and a relatively slender bill
- Most have relatively long wings and a relatively short tail
- European birds often have a pale U-shaped breast marking
Male, female and young
Female averages larger than male; juvenile has paler eyes and more even barring on the tail.
Where and when it's recorded
Common Buzzard has been recorded at 1,952 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 115 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Amwell HMWT NRUnited Kingdom4,244 records
- Lezíria Grande de Vila Franca de Xira – área geralPortugal3,958 records
- International Birding and Research Center Eilat (IBRCE)Israel2,715 records
More places
- Rutland WaterUnited Kingdom2,495 records
- Txingudi – PlaiaundiSpain2,346 records
- South Downs NP – Pulborough Brooks RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom2,308 records
- Azud de RiolobosSpain2,056 records
- El Oso – Laguna y entornoSpain2,002 records
- Titchwell Marsh RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,997 records
- Urdaibai RB – bird center y laguna de OruetaSpain1,836 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a medium-sized bird of prey with a large range. It is a member of the genus Buteo in the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across much of the Palearctic as far as northwestern China (Tian Shan), far western Siberia and northwestern Mongolia.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Common Buzzard?
The Common Buzzard is about 45–50 cm long, with a wingspan of 124 cm and weighs around 759 g.
Where does the Common Buzzard live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: widespread. It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal.
When is the best time to see the Common Buzzard?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March, April, September and October (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Common Buzzard endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Common Buzzard as Least Concern.
What does the Common Buzzard eat?
Main food: Vertebrate prey.
What family is the Common Buzzard in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 45–50 cm
- Wingspan
- 124 cm
- Weight
- 759 g
- Habitat
- Grassland
- Diet
- Vertebrate prey
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 383 mm
- Tail
- 214 mm
- Bill
- 36 mm
- Tarsus
- 76 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Buteo
Other birds in the genus Buteo
Grey HawkButeo plagiatus
Grey-lined HawkButeo nitidus
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
Ridgway's HawkButeo ridgwayi
Zone-tailed HawkButeo albonotatus
Hawaiian HawkButeo solitarius
White-throated HawkButeo albigula
Short-tailed HawkButeo brachyurus
Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni
Galapagos HawkButeo galapagoensis
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Jonny Andrews. ↗
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