Common Buzzards are carnivorous birds of prey. They belong to the family Accipitridae, Genus Buteo, and their Scientific Name is Buteo buteo. They are most commonly found in Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Europe. The fun fact about Common Buzzards is that they can hear a mouse move in the grass even when they are in flight, making them an excellent aerial hunter.
You can easily identify them from their small head, curved beaks, and combination of brown, grey, black, and white colored feathers. These birds are also called Tourist Eagles because any tourist spotting them in Europe mistakes them for an eagle.
If you find Common Buzzards interesting, then let’s get to know some fun facts about them.
How to Identify Common Buzzards?
Common Buzzards can fly up to 28 miles per hour and they occasionally feed on carrion. These birds are mostly solitary and are seen to form monogamous pairs to raise the chicks. They can also form groups or flocks during the nesting period. Interestingly, one of their calls sounds just like the meowing of a cat. Their common habitat is the countryside and woodland and these are the most common raptors found in the UK.
Appearance
Common Buzzards have a wingspan of 42 to 53 inches and weigh around 400 grams to 1400 grams. These birds from tail to head are around 51 cm to 57 cm. These birds have a mixture of dark brown, white, and light brown colors and have dark eyes and a hooked beak. They can either be large or medium in size and the male Buzzards are usually lighter than the females.
The interesting fact is that the male Common Buzzards are better flyers when compared to the females. The unique color combination of Buzzards helps them to hide from predators in the woods and also their tremendous speed helps them to escape any kind of danger.
Location
Common Buzzards are found throughout Europe including Scotland, Ireland, Greece, France, and England. In Asia, they are found in India, China, Russia, and Mongolia. During the cold, these Common Buzzards migrate to South Africa during the winter.
Their natural habitats are around the woodlands, farmlands, scrubs, marsh bogs, etc. They are also seen hovering around cities and towns, without being afraid of people in springtime and can be easily spotted on street lights, fence posts, or trees with the intent to search for prey.
Diet and Nutritional Habits
Common buzzards generally feed on reptiles, snakes, lizards, and insects and they try to make the most out of whatever food sources are available. They also rely on carrions as their food and often form flocks to feed on large animal carcasses. Being carnivores, they spend their day looking for prey. An interesting fact is that these birds are also known to stomp their feet on the earth to attract earthworms to the surface so that they can eat them. When there is a prey shortage, they are seen feeding on beetles.
Migration Period
Common Buzzards are partial migrators. This indicates that they prefer to travel just a short distance of about 100 km and as soon as they get to a warmer region with lots of prey, they settle there till the winter is over. However, there are also exceptions such as the steppe buzzards who fly long distances for the winter months, from Asia to Africa and again return during the March to their breeding ground. They prefer to travel in a flock of 30 buzzards.
Nesting Behavior
Common Buzzards’ nests are quite thick and bulky as they use sticks, branches, twigs, and leaves to line the inside of the nest. They usually choose the trunk area of the tree or the strong forked area of the branches. Their nests are usually 10 to 80 feet off the ground and they are also found building nests on rocky cliffs.
Every year they use the same nest by repairing it over time, so there might be a change in shape or size of the nest every year. Interestingly, the Common male Buzzards are the ones who usually build a nest.
Mating
To impress a mate, they soar high in the sky and then rocket down to earth, and again soar vertically up towards the sky. This aerial dance is known as “the roller coaster”. They stay with the same mate for a lifetime and usually select several permanent nesting sites as an alternative for the years to come. Their incubation period lasts for around 33 to 38 days. The female common Buzzards are seen to lay 2 to 4 eggs and the male takes the responsibility to hunt for food and feed both the chick and female buzzard. After around 14 to 16 weeks the chicks become fully developed and independent to find their own food. Interestingly, they reach their sexual maturity at the age of 3 and have a lifespan of 25 years.
What is the Evolution Theory of Common Buzzards?
At present, there are 28 subspecies of common buzzards; previously, the buzzard family originated in America, from Buteoninae which is the subfamily, and then, they radiated to other places, becoming Erasian and African buzzards. Today, the Buteo species are commonly referred to as common buzzards, while the similar-looking ones are known as hawks in America. After DNA tests it has been revealed that common buzzards are related to the Red-tailed hawk. This divergence was created around 300000 years ago which can be dated from the fossil records.
How is Common Buzzards Different from Hawks?
The main difference between a common buzzard and a hawk is in the size when compared, hawks are smaller and lighter, which helps them to hover over their prey. Both of these birds are predators and hunt small birds, rodents, and reptiles. But, when food habits are compared, common buzzards prefer eating carrion while hawks don’t.
Who is the Predator of Common Buzzards?
Common buzzards are birds of Prey but they also have certain predators. Eagles, wild cats, and foxes are some of the common predators of this bird. They are usually overpowered by these birds and animals while they are eating carrion or sneaking to get their prey. Interestingly, when a crow or seagull attacks a buzzard, they turn over on its back to start clawing the attacker.
What is the Current Status of Common Buzzards?
Humans are also a threat to Common buzzards as they put poisonous bait for the fox, which these birds often consume, leading to a fatal death. They are also threatened by habitat loss. However, the present status of common buzzards is that they are listed among the Least concern and they still have been able to maintain a stable population.
How are Common Buzzards Different from Vultures?
In America, vultures are referred to as Buzzards. The Black Buzzard found in North America is actually a vulture species, thus here, buzzards and vultures are considered to be the same, but their diet makes them quite different. Common buzzards usually feed on rodents, reptiles, and small birds, and occasionally, they feed on carrions, but the main diet of the vulture is carrion. They also have different types of feet, the vulture has weak feet, but buzzards have strong talons so that they can grab and carry their prey. Also, buzzards have thick features on their neck, whereas vultures have none.
How many Adult Common Buzzards are Found Worldwide?
according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, there are 2,100,000 to 3,700,000 adult common buzzards found globally, with Europe having the maximum count, with 1,630,000 to 2,170,000 common adult buzzards
