The term “buzzard” is highly confusing because its meaning depends entirely on where you are in the world. It generally refers to a large bird of prey or a scavenging bird that spends much time soaring high in the air. Due to global exploration and naming conventions, a single term now describes two biologically distinct groups of birds. This article clarifies the identity of the bird most people refer to when using the name: the large scavenging bird of the Americas.
Unpacking the Global Naming Confusion
The scientific classification of “buzzards” is split between two continents and two unrelated families of birds. In Europe, Asia, and Africa (the Old World), a buzzard is a true hawk belonging to the genus Buteo. These are medium-sized, broad-winged raptors, such as the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), which primarily hunt small mammals and birds, though they will also eat carrion.
The confusion began when early European settlers arrived in the Americas and encountered large, soaring, scavenging birds. These new birds reminded the settlers of the familiar buzzards back home, and the name was applied to them. However, the birds of the Americas, which include the Turkey Vulture and Black Vulture, are not hawks; they are New World vultures belonging to the family Cathartidae.
These New World “buzzards” are not closely related to the Old World Buteo hawks, nor are they related to the Old World vultures (Accipitridae). The strong physical and behavioral similarities between the two groups of vultures are an example of convergent evolution, where unrelated species develop similar traits to fill a similar ecological niche. In North America, native Buteo species are correctly called hawks, making the term “buzzard” almost exclusively refer to the local vultures in popular culture.
Key Characteristics of New World Buzzards
New World buzzards, or vultures, possess specialized anatomy suited for their role as scavengers. Their most distinctive physical trait is the featherless head and neck, which serves a hygienic function. This lack of feathers prevents rotting material from accumulating and sticking to the bird’s skin while it feeds deep inside a carcass.
The digestive system is highly adapted, featuring an extremely acidic stomach that neutralizes dangerous bacteria and pathogens found in decaying meat. This adaptation allows them to safely consume carrion that would be toxic to most other animals, making them indispensable to the ecosystem. Their feet are also specialized, having weak, flat talons poorly adapted for grasping and killing prey.
Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) have a keen sense of smell. They can detect the odor of ethyl mercaptan, a gas released by decaying animals, allowing them to locate fresh carrion hidden beneath dense forest canopies. Other New World species, like the Black Vulture, rely more on sight and often follow the Turkey Vultures to a food source.
Their diet consists almost entirely of carrion, and they rarely attack live animals unless weak or injured. This scavenging behavior prevents the build-up of dead animals, limiting the spread of infectious diseases and acting as nature’s clean-up crew. New World buzzards are limited in vocalization, lacking a syrinx (the avian voice box), so their sounds are restricted to grunts and hisses.
Habitat and Flight Behavior
New World buzzards inhabit a vast range of environments across the Americas, including deserts, forests, mountains, and coasts. Their adaptable nature allows them to thrive in diverse habitats, often near human development where roadkill provides a consistent food supply. They do not build complex nests but instead lay their eggs in protected locations, such as hollow logs, caves, abandoned buildings, or on cliff ledges.
Their movement is characterized by energy-efficient flight patterns. They utilize thermal updrafts (columns of warm air rising from the ground) to gain altitude without needing to flap their broad wings. This technique, known as static soaring, allows them to cover immense distances while scanning the landscape for food.
When soaring, the Turkey Vulture is recognizable by its characteristic flight posture, holding its wings in a distinct V-shape, or dihedral. This dihedral angle provides stability but can make the bird look unsteady or wobbly in the air. The ability of these large birds to patrol vast territories using minimal energy is fundamental to their ecological function, ensuring they can quickly find and process carrion across their wide distribution.