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Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) German name(s): "Mäusebussard" Size: 48-56 cm; wing span 1.1-1.3 m Body mass: 550-1400 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.32-0.37

Europe: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Lammergeier Eurasian Black Vulture Griffon Vulture Rueppell's Vulture Egyptian Vulture Osprey White-tailed Eagle Golden Eagle Spanish Imperial Eagle Short-toed Snake Eagle Bonelli's Eagle Booted Eagle Greater Spotted Eagle Red Kite Black Kite European Honey Buzzard Common Buzzard Rough-legged Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard Western Marsh Harrier Hen Harrier Montagu's Harrier Pallid Harrier Black-winged Kite Eurasian Goshawk Eurasian Sparrowhawk Gyrfalcon Lanner Falcon Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Lesser Kestrel Red-footed Falcon Merlin Eurasian Hobby Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Common Buzzards are medium-sized raptors. Descriptions of their plumage are made difficult by the fact that their appearance is very inhomogeneous, even within each individual race. They can look near-black, without conspicuous markings, or mottled light grey-brown with copious streaking and scalloping. Common features are broad wings with a slight forward curvature and a broad tail with a rounded tip. The underwings show primaries with wide off-white wing panels, while the coverts are usually dark-brownish and the tips of the flight feathers are black, giving the wings a dark trailing edge. On average they are somewhat darker than Rough-legged Buzzards. The cere and irises are yellow to orange-brown. The short, hooked bill is dar-grey with a yellow base. The legs and feet are yellow. As opposed to the Short-toed Snake Eagle, the Common Buzzard's tail has many densely spaced, fine bars.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Buzzard at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Common Buzzard is available HERE . Common Buzzards are a partly migratory species, with about 7 recognized races. Apart from several races with restricted ranges (found on Mediterranean islands and Madeira, but also in the Caucasus mountain range), there are race "vulpinus" (Eastern Europe to central Asia; also called the "Steppe Buzzard") and nominate race "buteo", which is found over most of Europe, from the British Islands to Poland and from the northern Mediterranean, the Balkans, northern Turkey and the region towards the Black Sea to southern Sweden. Common Buzzards are also found in Asia Minor, the Middle East all through temperate Asia, in Arabia and in eastern and southern Africa. In most of Europe, race "buteo" is present all year round. Only southern Scandinavia and eastern Europe host a migrant population that will migrate southwards to spend the northern winters in the Atlas Mountain range in northern Africa, in southern Turkey and the Middle East, part of Yemen and eastern and southern Africa. During the breeding season Common Buzzards have a preference for woodland, especially the edges of woodland, where they will nest. They prefer to hunt in open country, such as grassland, fields and heather.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "buteo" Our first sighting of a Common Buzzard, race "buteo", with photographic evidence, was in June 2010, near Eltville, Hessen, Germany. D. Wilczynska reports spotting a Common Buzzard, race "buteo", between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, in January 2016. H. Dahlem-Senger reports spotting a Common Buzzard, race "buteo", near Frielendorf, Osthessen, Germany, in April 2017, and another in Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany, in October 2018. The species is found regularly near Eltville, Hessen, Germany. J. Pires reports finding Common Buzzards, race "buteo", semi-regularly in the area of the Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve to Mora, Evora, in Portugal. G. Pinelas reports spotting a pair of Common Buzzards, race "buteo", near Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, in January 2017. M. Eaton found Common Buzzards, nominate race "buteo", at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, and near Padstow and Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, in September 2019. G. Normand reports finding Common Buzzards, race "buteo", occasionally in various parts of France, e.g. in Menzier, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France, in July 2021. C. Pears spotted a Common Buzzard, race "buteo", in Borrowdale, Cumberland, England, in September 2024. A. Sarok reports finding Common Buzzards, race "buteo", regularly in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024. In 1970ies and 1980ies we saw Common Buzzards, nominate race "buteo", regularly in the low-mountain ranges of central Germany, e.g. in the Eifel, Rheinland-Pfalz. Race "rothschildi" J. Pires reports finding Common Buzzards, race "rothschildi", on Terceira Island, Azores, in November 2018.

Photos

Race "buteo"

ADULT

PAIR

Pair of Common Buzzards on an old windmill (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2017]

Pair of Common Buzzards on an old windmill (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2017]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Common Buzzard perched in a dormant tree (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]

Near-frontal view of a Common Buzzard perched in a dormant tree (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Between Lomza and Wizna, Podlachia, Poland, January 2016]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard in mellow light (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, November 2025]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo Estuary, Portugal, January 2022]

"Oh, sh**!"... (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2020]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard looking back at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2023]

Dorsal/ventral view of a Common Buzzard looking backwards (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Close-up full-frontal view of a Common Buzzard in low flight (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Near-frontal view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Oberkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, October 2023]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2014]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a soaring Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, February 2025]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary, Portugal, January 2025]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard trying to gain height (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard in swift flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2023]

Ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, September 2019]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, February 2020]

Dorsal/ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Ventral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Common Buzzard looking sideways - note the frontal streaking
(photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of an adult Common Buzzard (front - note the dark iris) with a juvenile (yellow iris) (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a juvenile Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Common Buzzard - note the pale gape (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Common Buzzard (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2020]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard chick that has left its nest prematurely (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard nestling crouched on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Race "rothschildi"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Terceira Island, Azores, November 2018]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Terceira Island, Azores, November 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile(?) Common Buzzard in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Terceira Island, Azores, November 2018]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Throughout most of their range in Europe, Common Buzzards are sedentary. Part of the population extends their breeding range in summer into southern Scandinavia (Sweden).

Near-lateral view of a Common Buzzard circling in an updraught (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Borrowdale, Cumberland, England, September 2024]

Near-lateral view of a Common Buzzard circling in an updraught, now being harassed by a Carrion Crow
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Borrowdale, Cumberland, England, September 2024]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard typically perched on a roadside fence post (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Food, Diet

Frontal view of a Common Buzzard plucking its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Common Buzzard bringing its prey out into the open from low shrubby growth (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2024]

Near-lateral view of a Common Buzzard plucking its prey (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard devouring its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Lateral view of a Common Buzzard carrying away its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, May 2022]

Dorsal view of a Common Buzzard carrying away its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2014]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

buzzard_jp_20250126.m4a	buteo (Portugal)	Flight call	© JP
buzzard_jp_20201023.m4a	buteo (Portugal)	Flight calls	© JP
buzzard_dw_20220930.m4a	buteo (Poland)	Flight calls	© DW

More Common Buzzard sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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