If you’ve ever gazed up at a soaring bird of prey, wondering, “Is that a buzzard, or could it be something rarer?” then this guide is for you Today, we will explore a common birdwatching challenge in Europe: distinguishing between three raptors that can appear surprisingly similar: the Common Buzzard, the Honey-buzzard, and the Rough-legged Buzzard.
Family: Accipitridae
Common Buzzard
Let’s begin with the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), one of the most widespread raptors in Europe. From Ireland and Portugal to Russia, these birds are a familiar sight.
Common Buzzards are highly adaptable, appearing in a variety of habitats, including farmland, forests, open plains, and even mountainous regions. They have a stocky, somewhat “dumpy” appearance, both while perched and in flight. You might see them resting on fence posts, telegraph poles, or simply in fields. During the winter, they often forage for worms and insects on the ground.
Their plumage varies greatly across Europe, ranging from very pale to dark brown. Here are some distiguishing features to look out for:
- Many have a brown throat with a paler “necklace” just below it.
- In flight, their long, broad wings and relatively short tail are distinctive features compared to our other buzzards, which appear more streamlined.
- When soaring, they typically hold their wings in a shallow “V” shape, transitioning to level wings when gliding.
- When the conditions are right, they can even hover in the air!
Honey-buzzard
The Honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus) is the trickster of the group. This bird is a long-distance migrant, breeding in various parts of Europe and wintering in tropical Africa. They typically arrive in late spring and depart by late summer, with peak sightings occurring during migration in May-June and again in August–September.
In southern Europe, you can see them heading north over the Strait of Gibraltar or traveling through Italy and the Balkans. In northern Europe, look for them migrating south along the coasts in autumn, particularly on the eastern Baltic or at migration hotspots like Falsterbo in Sweden.
So, how can you distinguish Honey-buzzards from Common Buzzards? Honey-buzzards are slimmer, with longer wings, a narrower body, and a proportionally longer tail. Their heads appear small and pigeon-like, and their tails feature a dark band at the tip with two narrower bars further up.
When they fly, their wingbeats are deeper and more elastic, and while soaring, they hold their wings flat, unlike the slightly raised wings of a Common Buzzard. It’s also important to note that they do not hover.
Rough-legged Buzzard
The Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) is a northern specialist that breeds in Scandinavia, northern Russia, and arctic regions. During the winter, they migrate south, and depending on the year, you might spot a small number of these birds across central and western Europe, where they often prefer open farmland and coastal marshes.
Slightly larger than Common Buzzards, Rough-legged Buzzards have longer wings and tails, which gives them a more graceful appearance. Most of the ones seen in Europe are juveniles, making them easier to identify. Look for their bold dark belly patch, pale head and chest, and a white-based tail with a distinct dark band at the tip.
These birds often hunt low over open country, resembling giant harriers, and they hover more frequently than Common Buzzards. When perched, their tails extend clearly beyond their wing tips, which is another useful identifying feature.
Final Tips
Wherever you are in Europe, the key to identifying birds of prey is to cultivate a mental image of each species’ overall characteristics, this includes the shape, proportions, and behavior.
Common Buzzards: Stocky and variable in color, they are adaptable to many habitats.
Honey-buzzards: Slimmer with small heads, they have long tails and flat wings, and are known for their soaring flight.
Rough-legged Buzzards: These birds have longer tails and wings, are usually pale with a dark belly patch, and are frequent hoverers.
Related Articles
