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In Britain, the word buzzard refers chiefly to several birds of prey of the hawk genus Buteo. In North America, a buzzard is any of various New World vultures, especially the turkey vulture. In Australia, a large hawk of the genus Hamirostra is called a black-breasted buzzard. Buteos, also called buzzard hawks, can usually be distinguished when soaring by their broad wings and expansive rounded tail. The plumage of most species is dark brown above and white or mottled brown below; the tail and underside of the wings are usually barred. Buteos customarily prey on insects, small mammals, and occasionally birds. They nest in trees or on cliffs. Species range over much of the New World, Eurasia, and Africa. The red-tailed hawk, the most common North American buteo, is about 2 ft (60 cm) long.
Examples of buzzard in a Sentence
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Nothing moved nearby, but high overhead two big buzzards circled slowly.
—Arthur Grahame, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2025
The passive soaring wing design included buzzards, hawks, eagles and storks and they are spread out allowing these birds to effectively use thermals to gain altitude without having to use energy to flap their wings.
—Ernie Cowan, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025
But this is also Coogler’s riff on the Western, with circling buzzards and black hats; his stylish crime-flick pastiche, with sleek suits and loaded guns; and a Southern Gothic melodrama about the sins of the father and the return of prodigal sons.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Buzzard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buzzard. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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buzzard
noun
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