Buzzards, raptors within the genus Buteo, are birds of prey found across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Known for their broad wings and soaring flight, buzzards are often associated with scavenging. They perform an important ecological function by processing organic matter. Understanding their diet provides insight into their role in maintaining natural systems.
Primary Food Sources
The diet of buzzards primarily consists of small mammals, particularly rodents such as voles, mice, and rabbits. These small mammals can constitute a significant portion, sometimes 60-80%, of a buzzard’s overall food intake. As opportunistic predators, buzzards are capable of hunting a wide array of live prey when the opportunity arises.
Carrion, or dead animals, also forms an important part of a buzzard’s diet, especially during winter months or when live prey is scarce. They frequently scavenge on roadkill, including animals like opossums, squirrels, and deer. While buzzards will consume older carcasses, they generally show a preference for fresher carrion.
Supplemental Diet
When their primary food sources are less abundant, buzzards adapt their diet to include other available sustenance. This supplemental diet can include smaller live prey such as nestling birds, fledglings, or even reptiles and amphibians. Their adaptability allows them to exploit seasonal abundances of various prey.
Insects, including earthworms, beetles, and grasshoppers, also serve as a secondary food source. While adaptable, buzzards typically do not consume fish, vegetation, or fruits.
How Buzzards Find Food
Buzzards possess exceptional eyesight, which is their primary tool for locating food. They are often seen soaring high above the landscape, using their keen vision to spot small movements or deceased animals on the ground below. This aerial vantage point allows them to efficiently scan vast areas.
These birds are adept at riding thermals, columns of rising warm air, which enables them to soar with minimal energy expenditure while searching. Buzzards also employ perch-hunting, sitting on elevated spots like fence posts or trees to survey their surroundings for prey. While “true buzzards” rely on vision, New World vultures, which are sometimes colloquially called buzzards, possess a highly developed sense of smell for detecting decaying carcasses.
Their Role in Nature
Buzzards play a significant role in maintaining ecological balance as natural clean-up agents. By consuming carrion, they help remove decaying animal matter from the environment. This activity reduces the presence of potential breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and pathogens.
Beyond carrion, buzzards also help regulate populations of small mammals and insects through predation. Their presence indicates a healthy countryside and contributes to the overall stability of natural habitats.