buzzard

noun

buz·​zard ˈbə-zərd 

1

chiefly British : buteo

2

: any of various usually large birds of prey (such as the turkey vulture)

3

: a contemptible or rapacious person

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms

• bloodsucker
• harpy
• kite
• predator
• shark
• vampire
• vulture
• wolf

Examples of buzzard in a Sentence

the real estate buzzards were really putting pressure on the one homeowner who was still refusing to sell

that crotchety old man can be a real buzzard when he's in a bad mood—which is usually the case

Recent Examples on the Web

Farther down the hall from the small birds is the raptors’ room, which on this particular day was home to a partridge, a crow, a buzzard, an owl and a greenfinch — all kept in separate, locker-sized cages. —Jess McHugh, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024

The division’s mascot is a cartoon buzzard, in apparent honor of their tendency to circle. —Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2023

Long considered one of the oldest sports still practiced today, falconry has its participants, or falconers, train birds of prey (falcons, sometimes hawks, eagles or buzzards) to hunt wild game. —Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023

For 10 days, the people of Tefé have awakened to a terrible sight: the carcasses of pink river dolphins floating in Lake Tefé, food for circling buzzards. —Diana Durán, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023

Dogs and buzzards fought over a dead cat in the middle of the street, directly across from an officer who watched the ferocious struggle from a barred window, twirling the ends of his moustache. —Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 25 July 2022

And birds of prey like buzzards, sparrowhawks, barn owls, and tawny owls. —Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 13 Sep. 2023

The black vulture has a black head and is different from the turkey vulture, which is the bird most of us in Alabama call a buzzard. —Ike Morgan | [e-mail], al, 3 July 2023

Twenty-six bird species in the world are called buzzards, including the honey-buzzard, the lizard buzzard, the forest buzzard and the long-legged buzzard. —Jerry Butler, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English busard, from Old French, alteration of buison, from Latin buteon, buteo hawk

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing buzzard

• rough-legged buzzard

Kids Definition

buzzard

noun

buz·​zard ˈbəz-ərd 

: any of various usually large slow-flying birds of prey compare turkey vulture