Buzzard vs Hawk: What's the Difference?
In the US, buzzards of this group are called hawks. The buzzard lives in Europe, Asia and Africa; the hawk is found worldwide.
Common questions
Is a buzzard a hawk?
In the US, yes: there the name hawk also covers the broad-winged buzzards. The “true” hawks are birds such as goshawks and sparrowhawks, woodland hunters with short, broad wings.
Quick answers
They differ on 1 of the 8 quick answers: kept as a pet.
| Question | Buzzard | Hawk |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Bird | Bird |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? | No | No |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Daytime | Daytime |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? differs | No | Sometimes |
| Do people eat it? | No | No |
At a glance
| Question | Buzzard | Hawk |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Europe, Asia, Africa | Worldwide |
| Habitat differs | Farmland, Forest, Grassland | Forest, Grassland, Farmland |
| Size | Medium | Medium |
| Legs | 2 | 2 |
| Covered in | Feathers | Feathers |
| Lives differs | In pairs | Alone |
| Lives for | 12–20 years | 12–20 years |
| Can fly | Yes | Yes |
| Swims | No | No |
| Lays eggs | Yes | Yes |
About each
Buzzard
The common buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey found across most of Europe and east into Asia, and probably the most common daytime raptor in Europe. It mostly hunts voles and other rodents from a perch.
Everything on the buzzard page
Hawk
Birds of prey of the eagle family, found on every continent except Antarctica. “True” hawks such as goshawks and sparrowhawks are woodland hunters with short, broad wings; in the US the name also covers the broad-winged buzzards.
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.