Buzzards do migrate, but the extent of their travel depends entirely on the specific bird and its geographic location. The term “buzzard” creates confusion because it refers to two completely different types of birds on separate continents. In Europe, a buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey (a hawk), while in North America, the name is commonly used as a colloquial term for a type of vulture. The seasonal movements of these two distinct groups are driven by different factors and cover vastly different distances, ranging from year-round residency to long-distance journeys.
Why the Name Matters
The discrepancy in the name stems from early European settlers who applied the familiar term to new species they encountered in the Americas. In the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa), “buzzard” correctly identifies raptors belonging to the genus Buteo, such as the widespread Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). These birds are true hawks, predatory species characterized by broad wings and a robust build, which they use to hunt small mammals and other prey.
In the New World, however, the name “buzzard” is often incorrectly used for New World vultures, particularly the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). These scavengers belong to the family Cathartidae and are not genetically related to the European hawks. Understanding this distinction—hawk in Europe, vulture in America—is fundamental to understanding their migratory habits.
Migration of European Buzzards
The migration of the European Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) is often described as partial, meaning not all populations undertake a seasonal journey. Populations residing in warmer, temperate regions, such as the United Kingdom and Western Europe, frequently remain in their home territories throughout the winter. Their diet, which includes small rodents and insects, often remains accessible enough to support them year-round.
In contrast, buzzards from the colder, northernmost ranges (Scandinavia and Eastern Europe) are compelled to migrate south. This movement is primarily driven by the inaccessibility of their prey, which becomes difficult to locate under thick snow and ice. These raptors typically engage in shorter-distance, intra-continental movements, often wintering in Central and Southern Europe or the Mediterranean region.
The Steppe Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus), a subspecies found in the eastern part of the range, exhibits a much longer migration, traveling thousands of miles to wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa. All migrating buzzards rely on soaring flight, utilizing thermal updrafts and following coastlines or mountain ranges to conserve energy.
Migration of American Vultures
The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), the bird most commonly called a buzzard in the United States, undertakes an extensive, long-distance migration. Northern populations breeding in Canada and the northern U.S. travel thousands of miles south to winter in Central and South America, with some reaching as far as Ecuador and Colombia.
This migration is a necessary survival strategy because the vultures cannot locate carrion when the ground is covered by snow or frozen solid. They also require thermal air currents for efficient flight.
Turkey Vultures are obligate soaring migrants, depending on rising columns of warm air to gain altitude and glide long distances without flapping. They often gather in large flocks, known as “kettles,” to utilize these thermals, allowing them to cover up to 200 miles in a single day during their journey. This reliance on thermals means their migration is restricted to daylight hours and areas where sufficient solar heating occurs.
Factors Determining Residency
The decision to migrate is not absolute for either group, as environmental factors often determine if a population remains resident or moves seasonally. Populations of both European Buzzards and American Vultures in the central and southern parts of their respective ranges frequently do not migrate. These birds benefit from milder winter climates where the food supply remains reliable throughout the year.
For the Turkey Vulture, a consistent source of carrion, often found as roadkill, can eliminate the need for a southern journey. Similarly, European Buzzards can remain in place if agricultural areas provide a steady supply of small rodents and other prey, preventing the resource scarcity that triggers migration.
Changing environmental conditions, such as generally milder winters resulting from climate change, are increasingly allowing some populations to reduce the distance or duration of their annual movements. This adaptability to reliable food sources and less severe cold encourages residency, even in areas where migration was once the norm.