The English language uses specialized collective nouns, known as terms of venery, to describe groups of animals. While many groups of birds are simply called a flock, certain species, particularly raptors and scavengers, have acquired more evocative names. The groups formed by the bird commonly referred to as a buzzard have some of the most striking collective names. These specific terms are not arbitrary; they change depending on the birds’ current activity.
The Specific Collective Nouns for Buzzards
When buzzards are observed soaring high in the air, using air currents to gain altitude, the group is known as a kettle. This term is used for a group of raptors in flight, where the birds are circling together within a thermal column. This aerial behavior is distinct from the names used when the birds are grounded.
A group of buzzards gathered to feed on a carcass is termed a wake. When these birds are resting together on a perch, such as a dead tree or a tall structure, the assembly is called a committee. This tripartite naming system provides a precise vocabulary to describe the different social states of these birds.
Clarifying the Term “Buzzard” (Vulture vs. Hawk)
To use these collective nouns accurately, it is important to understand the geographical confusion surrounding the word “buzzard.” In North America, the term “buzzard” is used colloquially as a synonym for the New World vulture, such as the Turkey Vulture or the Black Vulture. These are the birds to which collective nouns like “kettle” and “wake” are most frequently applied. Across Europe, Africa, and Asia, however, a buzzard is a specific type of raptor belonging to the genus Buteo, which includes species like the Common Buzzard.
The European buzzards are true birds of prey, more closely related to hawks and eagles, though they occasionally scavenge. The New World vultures, despite their similar appearance due to convergent evolution, are distinct from the Old World raptors. Therefore, when Americans refer to a “kettle of buzzards,” they are almost always referring to a group of vultures circling overhead.
The Origin and Meaning of These Collective Names
The term kettle originates from the visual effect of the birds circling tightly within a thermal updraft. This makes them appear like steam or bubbles “boiling” upward in a cauldron. By utilizing these rising columns of warm air, the birds conserve energy, allowing them to gain altitude before gliding long distances.
The name wake for a group feeding is a metaphor derived from the human custom of holding a vigil over a body before burial. Vultures are linked to death due to their diet of carrion, and their gathering around a carcass resembles this solemn gathering. The name committee for a resting group is inspired by the birds’ appearance when perched motionless. When a line of vultures sits hunched and silent, they can resemble a group of figures in quiet deliberation.