Common Buzzard

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Common Buzzard in the UK

The Buzzard is a resident and now the most numerous bird of prey in the UK, with about 63,000 pairs. It is Green-listed. A century of persecution, then the loss of Rabbits to myxomatosis in the 1950s, pushed it back to the west and north of Britain. Since then it has spread east and now breeds across the whole country. Breeding range nearly doubled between the 1968-72 and 2008-11 atlases, and numbers rose by 76% between 1995 and 2024. It is fully protected, though illegal killing still happens.

Where and when to see a Common Buzzard

Almost anywhere with trees and open ground: farmland, wooded valleys, moorland edge, even the fringes of towns. Look up on bright mornings from about 10am, when birds rise on thermals and circle over woods, often in pairs or small groups. Late winter and early spring bring display flights over territories. On dull days check fence posts, telegraph poles and motorway lamp posts. In wet weather Buzzards walk about on ploughed or grazed fields looking for earthworms, sometimes several together.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Farmland, woodland.
Diet: Voles, rabbits, carrion.
Field note: Now most common UK raptor.

How to identify a Common Buzzard

A large, thickset raptor, much bigger than a crow, with broad rounded wings, a short neck and a short fanned tail. It soars with wings raised in a shallow V and the tail spread. Plumage varies from dark chocolate to very pale, but most are brown with a pale band across the breast, dark wrist patches and a dark trailing edge to the underwing. The tail is finely barred grey-brown. Flight on the flap is stiff and rather laboured. It often hangs on the wind and will hover clumsily over a slope.

Call and song

A loud, far-carrying mew: a drawn-out "pee-yow" that falls away at the end, a bit like a cat. Given most in spring and by begging young in late summer. Jays copy it well. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Red Kite: Red Kite has longer, narrower angled wings and a long forked rusty tail that it twists constantly as it flies.
• European Honey Buzzard: Honey Buzzard soars on flat or slightly drooped wings, with a small protruding head and a longer tail with three bold bars.
• Rough-legged Buzzard: Rough-legged is a scarce winter visitor with a white tail ending in a broad dark band, a dark belly patch and frequent hovering.

Related guide UK raptors and owls.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Common Buzzard is a Common tier bird, worth +1 point when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Long-legged BuzzardLegendary · Open country (very rare)
• Rough-legged BuzzardRare · Coastal grassland (winter)
• Steppe BuzzardEpic · Open country (very rare race)
• Ring-necked PheasantCommon · Farmland
• Barn SwallowCommon · Farmland (summer)
• Blue TitCommon · Woodland

Tell it apart

Side-by-side ID guides: Buzzard vs Red Kite.

Common Buzzard: quick answers

What does a Buzzard eat?

Whatever is easiest. Voles, young Rabbits and other small mammals make up most of the diet, with earthworms and beetles important in winter. It also takes carrion, including roadkill, and the odd bird, frog or reptile.

What habitat does a Buzzard live in?

It needs trees or crags to nest in and open ground to hunt over. Mixed farmland with small woods is ideal, which is why the wooded valleys of Wales and south-west England hold the highest densities. It avoids only the densest city centres and treeless high tops.

Is the bird of prey I see from the motorway a Buzzard?

If it is large and brown and sitting on a post or lamp column, it almost always is. If it is small and hovering over the verge it is a Kestrel. A big bird with a forked tail is a Red Kite.

Kit that helps

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