Common Buzzard: The Complete Guide

Identifying the Common Buzzard: Key Criteria

The Common Buzzard is a medium-sized raptor whose identification is sometimes challenging due to its highly polymorphic plumage. However, its silhouette and flight behavior are good indicators.

• Size: From 45 to 58 cm in length.
• Weight: Males typically weigh from 520 to 1180 g, while females, being heavier, weigh from 620 to 1360 g.
• Wingspan: Generally between 1.10 and 1.30 meters, able to reach 1.40 m.
• Flight Speed: In horizontal flight, it averages about 40 km/h. It is more known for its soaring and hovering flight than for very high-speed dives.

Plumage: The plumage of the Common Buzzard is extremely variable, ranging from very dark brown (almost black) to light brown or cream, with rufous nuances. The upperparts are generally brown, while the underparts are paler, barred or spotted with brown. A constant feature is the presence of clearly visible dark patches at the wrists (carpals) under the wings. The tail is generally barred with fine dark bands on a lighter background.

Sexual Dimorphism: Both sexes have similar plumage, but the female is slightly larger and heavier than the male.

Juveniles: Young Common Buzzards closely resemble adults, also with highly variable plumage. Their underwing markings may be less defined or slightly different, and the iris is generally paler than in adults.

Beak and Legs: The beak is grayish, hooked, and powerful, with a yellow cere. Its legs are yellow, unfeathered on the tarsi, and end in robust talons.

Scientific Dimensions and Records

The Call: A Characteristic Mew

The Common Buzzard is a relatively noisy raptor, especially during the breeding season. Its call is one of the most recognizable among European raptors and is often compared to a mew.

The most typical call is a plaintive, descending "puii-eh" or "kye-ooo", often repeated. This mewing call is uttered in flight, both by adults to mark their territory or communicate with their partner, and by juveniles to beg for food. In alarm or excitement, vocalizations can be shorter and more strident.

Behavior: The Opportunistic Hunter

The Common Buzzard is primarily a solitary raptor outside the breeding season, where pairs defend their nesting territory. It is monogamous, and pair bonds can last for several years.

It is a highly opportunistic hunter. Its most common hunting technique involves scanning for prey from a high perch (tree, post, pole) or in low-altitude soaring flight. Once its target is spotted, it quickly swoops down, using its talons to capture it. It can also practice hovering, rapidly beating its wings into the wind, a technique called "kiting" or "windhovering", less often observed than in falcons, but present.

Its diet is very eclectic, adapting to available resources. It primarily consists of small mammals such as voles, mice, shrews, and young rabbits. It also captures birds (passerines, young pigeons), reptiles (lizards, snakes), amphibians, and large insects (beetles). In winter or during lean periods, it readily consumes carrion, and can even feed on earthworms during agricultural plowing.

Reproduction begins in spring. Nesting occurs in a voluminous nest (eyrie) built in a tree (deciduous or coniferous), usually near a woodland edge or in an isolated tree. The nest is made of branches and lined with fresh leaves. The female typically lays 2 to 4 eggs (sometimes 1 to 6), incubated mainly by the female for about 33 to 35 days. Young buzzards leave the nest after 40 to 50 days but remain dependent on their parents for food and hunting lessons for another 6 to 8 weeks.

Habitat and Distribution

The Common Buzzard is a widespread species in the Palearctic, covering a large part of Europe, temperate Asia, and North Africa. Several subspecies are recognized, with geographical variations in their plumage and size.

It is highly adaptable and occupies a wide variety of habitats. It can be found in forests, woodland edges, parks, agricultural plains with groves, moorlands, wetlands, and even occasionally urban peripheries. It favors areas offering a mix of trees for nesting and open ground for hunting.

Although the northernmost and eastern populations are migratory (moving south and west for winter), many populations in Western and Southern Europe are sedentary or undertake only short dispersive movements. It is one of the most frequently observed raptors during mass migrations.

Distribution Map

Conservation Status

The Common Buzzard is classified as "Least Concern" (LC) on the IUCN Red List. This classification is due to its extremely vast range, a very large global population, and a stable, even increasing, population trend in many regions.

After suffering intense persecution in the 19th and early 20th centuries, its populations have largely recovered thanks to protection measures and the ban on raptor hunting. It is now a common and well-established raptor across most of its range.

However, it still faces certain local threats such as collisions with vehicles, wind turbines, and power lines. Secondary poisoning (from ingesting poisoned rodents) and degradation of agricultural habitats can also have a localized impact. Despite this, its great adaptability and diverse diet give it good resilience to environmental pressures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

References

1. BirdLife International - Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
2. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - Buteo buteo