European Buzzards

There are three different types of buzzards in Europe, all of which belong to the genus Buteo. Compared to other birds of prey in Europe, European buzzards are generally medium-sized raptors, although the Long-legged Buzzard reaches the size of a small eagle.

Despite their size, European buzzards generally take smaller prey than eagles, with voles and other small rodents making up the main portion of their prey. This also explains why their talons are smaller than those of eagles.

We’ve also included the European Honey Buzzard in this category, although it isn’t actually a real buzzard. Honey Buzzards belong in a separate branch of the Accipitridae, but they have a strong resemblance to buteo types of buzzards, probably due to convergent evolution.