Differences between Buzzard and Falcon

Buzzard and Falcon are two classes of birds that belong to the Accipitridae and Falconidae families respectively.

Buzzards are birds of prey in the subfamily Buteoninae. They are characterized by large wings, rounded tails, short neck, and a sharp hooked beak. They have huge feet with sharp talons. The birds also have excellent vision that helps them to spot small prey from a distance. The plumage is deeper brown on the top and pale brown or white below.

Falcons are birds of prey. They are known for their agility and sharp vision. They have superior hunting skills, characterized by quick identification, chase, and capture. Their back, head, and wings are bluish grey, while their neck and belly are white with greyish black markings. The skin around the beak, the legs, and feet are yellow. The beak of Falcons is sharply bent at the tip, where they also have a sharp tooth that helps in killing the prey. The talons on the feet are long, sharp, and curved. The Falcon family includes about 40 species.

Where are Buzzard and Falcon found?

Buzzards live in diverse regions. They can be found in forests, plains, marshes, agricultural land, and cities. Buzzards can be found across the world except Antarctica. Some species are endemic to certain regions. For example, the Black-breasted Buzzard exists only in Australia. Furthermore, in the USA, Vultures are referred to as Buzzards.

Falcons live everywhere where they can find food. They flourish near coastlines, but can be found in river valleys, mountains, deserts, grasslands, and forests too. They exist in all parts of the world, except Antarctica.

What do Buzzard and Falcon eat?

Buzzards hunt for small insects, worms, rabbits, lizards, snakes, mice, and other birds. They sometimes also eat dead animals.

Falcons are carnivores and chiefly eat other birds, pigeons being their favorite. They prey on birds like doves, gulls, ducks, bats, and waterfowl. Falcons are capable of seizing birds in mid-air. They sometimes also eat fish, frogs, squirrels, mice, and insects.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Buzzard and Falcon

• Both Buzzard and Falcon eat Fish.
• Both Buzzard and Falcon eat Frogs.
• Both Buzzard and Falcon eat Lizards.
• Both Buzzard and Falcon eat Snakes.
• Both Buzzard and Falcon eat Turtles.
• Both Buzzard and Falcon eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Buzzard, but not by all Falcon.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Buzzardand Falcon.
• Mice are eaten by both Buzzard and Falcon.

Size of Buzzard and Falcon?

When it comes to size, Buzzards are generally 1.3-1.9 feet long. They have a wingspan of 3.6-4.5 feet. Upland Buzzard is one of the largest species. It is 1.8-2.3 feet long with a wingspan of 4.8 feet.. Falcons are usually 15-60 centimeters long. Their wingspan could be 74-120 centimeters.

The average weight of a Buzzard is 1.2-2.8 pounds. The Upland Buzzard weighs 3.08 pounds. while The average weight of Falcons is 1.5-3.3 pounds. The male birds weigh 0.73-2.20 pounds, while the females weigh 1.5-3.3 pounds. The Gyrfalcon is the heaviest of all species. It weighs 3.3 pounds.

Where do Buzzard and Falcon nest?

Buzzards make large nests, about one meter in diameter and 60 centimeters in depth. They prefer an elevation of 10-80 feet above the ground. Both male and female partners build the nest on tall trees using twigs, leaves, sticks, branches, and other plant material. Sometimes Buzzards use an old nest by restoring it and adding soft material in the centre. The mother bird incubates the eggs that hatch in 38-39 days. The young ones fledge when they are 50-55 days old but stay with the parents for another eight weeks.

Falcons do not build their nests. They use tree holes, ledges in cliffs, or discarded nests of other birds to lay their eggs. Both partners engage in incubating the eggs, which hatch in 29-32 days. The young birds will be able to fly when they are about six weeks old. Nevertheless, they stay under their parents’ care till they are about 10 weeks old.

How long do Buzzard and Falcon live?

The average lifespan of Buzzards is eight years. Infant mortality among the species is high due to starvation and human factors. The oldest Buzzard in the world is known to have lived for a little over 25 years.

The average lifespan of Falcons is 13 years, although they may live up to 16-20 years in the wild. Many birds die young due to malnutrition. Several adults are also recorded to be dying early because of habitat loss, DDT poisoning, airplane accidents, and environmental issues.

Are Buzzard or Falcon migratory birds?

Most Buzzards species are migratory. The ones living in Canada start migrating in September and travel as far as Venezuela. Buzzards from northern hemisphere and North America travel to Africa. The Steppe Buzzard is known for travelling the longest distance. It migrates from eastern Europe to Siberia during winters. The Himalayan Buzzard is another species that travels 1,000-2,000 miles.

Not all Falcons migrate. Peregrines from Alaska and Greenland migrate to USA and South America during winters. The Amur Falcon migrates in winter from Russia and China to India and South Africa. Most other species remain in their habitats throughout the year if the climate is favorable.

Do Buzzard and Falcon fly in flocks?

A flock of Buzzards is known as wake. These birds are not very sociable but are territorial. They may form small groups of about 20. They prefer being alone or with their partners while hunting. They however flock in large numbers during migration. The Grasshopper Buzzard is a species that is more gregarious, living in larger groups of up to a 100.

A group of Falcons is called a cast or cauldron. Falcons are solitary birds. They live, hunt, and migrate alone. They socialize only in the breeding season.

Are Buzzard or Falcon protected?

Buzzards are protected birds in the USA, where harming or killing them is against the law. In the UK, the birds are protected but one can get a license to kill them. Buzzards are also protected in other countries such as the Philippines, France, India, Japan, and Korea.

Falcons are protected across the world under various laws like Migratory Bird Act, Wildlife Conservation Act, and the International CITES treaty. The vulnerable species are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Are Buzzard or Falcon endangered?

Buzzards are of least concern in terms of conservation. Their numbers are observed to be on a rise in England. Europe has the largest population of Buzzards. On an overall scale, the numbers of Buzzards are declining. This can be attributed to exposure to pesticides that not only poison the birds, but also affect their reproductive abilities. Besides, they are also victims to illegal shooting.

Falcons are not endangered. The American Peregrine was classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act in 1970. However, it was removed from the list in 1999. The existence of the bird was threatened owing to DDT poisoning. However, the banning of DDT together with other recovery projects have saved the species from becoming extinct.

Can Buzzard and Falcon fly?

Buzzards have wide wings that help them soar high. However, the wings are rather weak. The birds do not flap their wings too much. The birds are mostly sedentary and do not move around much regularly. They fly in high altitudes by using thermals and obstruction wind currents. Buzzards can fly at a speed of 28-30 miles per hour.

Falcons are splendid flyers. They have thin, tapered wings that help them to cut down drag and fly in high speeds. With sharp eyesight, the birds can dive at speeds of nearly 200 miles per hour to capture their prey. The average flying speed of Peregrine Falcons, the fastest animal in the world, is 242 miles an hour. Falcons are solitary travelers that fly about 15,500 miles each year. Amur falcons are the longest migratory birds in the world. They fly over 13,600 miles at a stretch.

Can Buzzard and Falcon swim?

Buzzards are not water birds. They do not have the body structure or webbed feet to swim. They however go near waters for bathing and drinking.

Falcons do not swim. The structure of their body and feet are not ideal for swimming. However, some Falcon species dive into water to catch the prey.

Mating patterns among Buzzard and Falcon

Buzzards attain sexual maturity at the age of three. At the onset of the breeding season, the male and female pair follow each other, flying high in circles, and spiral downward with their wings raised high. The male also performs aerial dances and beats his flaps dramatically to impress the female. The female lays two to four eggs and incubates them for about 35 days. The eggs hatch in intervals of two days. She also broods the young ones for about two weeks, during which time the male fetches her the food. Thereafter, both partners engage in feeding the young ones.

Falcons start mating when they are about two years old. The male performs courtship displays in the air to attract the female. He also fetches preys for the female, who in turn shows her acceptance by perching in a suitable spot. The female typically lays three to four eggs, which are around two inches long and pink or brownish in color. Both partners take turns to incubate the eggs. After the eggs hatch, the female usually sits on the young ones to keep them warm while the male gets food for her. The partners protect the young ones by attacking anything that intimidates them.

When is the mating season for Buzzard and Falcon ?

Buzzards mate during March-May. While courtship and display commence in early March, fledging takes place in July.

Falcons are lonely birds that come together only during mating. The mating season depends on the location. It is generally March-July.

Do Buzzard and Falcon mate for life?

Buzzards are monogamous. They mate for life. They are also protective about their territory, defending it throughout the year.

Falcons are monogamous and mate for life. They also tend to use the same nest every breeding season.

How do Buzzard and Falcon sleep?

Buzzards roost in colonies on top of trees where they feel safe. They gather each night in the same place for all the years.

Falcons are active during the day, although they may take occasional naps. They sleep during the night while standing on one leg and resting their head on their back.

Can Buzzard and Falcon be eaten?

Some cultures in Africa eat the meat of Buzzards. However, it is not advisable to eat these birds as they contain decomposing bacteria and diseases in them, making them unhealthy for consumption.

Falcons were eaten in the past in some cultures like Hare and Strait. They ate the bird meat by boiling, frying, or roasting. However, consumption of Falcons is no longer permitted by stringent conservation laws.

Can you hunt Buzzard or Falcon?

Buzzards are not hunted for their meat. They are sometimes killed for harming livestock and poultry, or for sport. Many countries prohibit such killings, although in some countries like the UK license can be obtained to shoot these birds.

Hunting of Falcons was widespread for sport, falconry, feathers, skin, and meat. Although hunting has reduced due to strict laws, falconry is still practiced in countries like United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Austria.

Can you feed Buzzard or Falcon?

In captivity, Buzzards are fed meat, chicken, rodents, and fish. It is not legal or encouraged to feed wild birds in public in most nations.

It is illegal to feed wild birds in many countries. However, in countries like the USA, one can own and feed Falcons. The birds are carnivores and should be fed insects, rodents, and ground meat.