# Common Buzzard (*Buteo buteo*)

The common buzzard (*Buteo buteo*) is a bird of the family Accipitridae, in the order Accipitriformes.

> The common buzzard (Buteo buteo), also called the Eurasian buzzard, is a medium-sized hawk found across Europe and much of Asia, and one of the most familiar birds of prey in Britain. It soars on broad wings over farmland and woods, mewing a high 'pee-yow', and hunts voles, rabbits and earthworms. Typical lifespan is about 12 years. It is listed as Least Concern and increasing.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Breeds across Europe and western and central Asia; northern and eastern populations winter in Africa and southern Asia.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/common-buzzard/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Accipitriformes
- **Family:** Accipitridae
- **Genus:** Buteo

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Buteo buteo |
| Other name | Eurasian buzzard |
| Diet | Small mammals, earthworms, insects, birds and carrion |
| Habitat | Woodland edges, farmland, moorland and grassland |
| Weight | Adults average about 830 g (UK ringing data) |
| Lifespan | Typically 12 years; oldest ringed bird 30 years 5 months |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021) |

## Identification

Buzzards are compact, broad-winged hawks with a short, rounded tail. Plumage varies hugely, from almost white to dark chocolate-brown, but most birds are brown with a paler band across the breast. In flight they often soar in slow circles with wings held in a shallow V.

## A flexible diet

Buzzards hunt from perches or by hovering, dropping onto voles, mice, young rabbits, reptiles and birds. They also walk across fields after rain picking up earthworms and beetles, and readily eat carrion such as roadkill.

## Migrants and residents

Birds in Scandinavia and much of Russia migrate, wintering in Africa and southern Asia, while those in western and central Europe stay all year. Migrants head south between August and November and return between February and May.

## A conservation success

Persecution and pesticides once pushed buzzards out of much of lowland Britain and Europe. With legal protection they have spread back. BirdLife International lists the species as Least Concern (2021), with 2 to 3.5 million mature birds and an increasing trend.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a buzzard a vulture?

Not in Europe. The common buzzard is a hawk in the genus Buteo. In North America 'buzzard' is often used informally for turkey vultures, which causes confusion.

### How long do buzzards live?

BTO ringing data give a typical life expectancy of 12 years for a buzzard that reaches breeding age. The oldest ringed bird lived 30 years and 5 months.

### What does a buzzard sound like?

A plaintive, mewing 'pee-yow', often given while soaring. Jays sometimes imitate it.

### How big is a common buzzard?

Adults in the UK average about 830 g. Females are larger than males.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/eurasian-buzzard-buteo-buteo)
- [BTO BirdFacts: Buzzard. British Trust for Ornithology.](https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/buzzard)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Common Buzzard

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/common-buzzard/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.