Differences between Buzzard and Sparrow

Buzzard and Sparrow are two classes of birds that belong to the Accipitridae and Passeridae 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.

Sparrows are one of the most commonly found birds in the world. They are petite birds with a round head and small beak that is shaped like a cone. Their plumage is either brown or grey with white streaks. The feather on their belly is usually white. The birds have a long and stiff tail. An interesting fact about Sparrows is that they have a bone in their tongue. As these are perching birds, they have clawed feet with three forward-pointing and one backward-pointing toe. Sparrows are songbirds that make chirping sounds. There are over 140 species of these birds in the world. They are generally classified as Old World species and New World species. Sparrows are mentioned in mythology and the Bible. Their earliest fossils, found in caves in Israel, are dated back to over 100,000 years.

Where are Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows prefer thick forests, open fields, agricultural farms, and fringes of forests. However, a large population of Sparrows also live in the parks, gardens, and buildings of cities. The Old World species of Sparrows originally belong to Asia, Africa, and Europe. The New World species have been introduced in North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

What do Buzzard and Sparrow eat?

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

Sparrows are omnivores. They largely eat seeds and grains like cereals, wheat, rice, oats, and corn. They also eat insects and worms. Occasionally the birds eat human food refuse.

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

• Buzzard do eat Fish while Sparrow may not eat Fish.
• Both Buzzard and Sparrow eat Frogs.
• Both Buzzard and Sparrow eat Lizards.
• Buzzard do eat Snakes while Sparrow may not eat Snakes.
• Buzzard do eat Turtles while Sparrow may not eat Turtles.
• Buzzard do eat Squirrels while Sparrow may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Buzzard while Sparrow do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Buzzard while Sparrow do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Buzzard do eat Mice while Sparrow may not eat Mice.

Size of Buzzard and Sparrow?

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.. The size of Sparrows depends on the species. The average size is however 0.5-0.6 feet in length. Chestnut Sparrow is the smallest Sparrow with a length of 0.4 feet, while the Parrot-billed Sparrow is the largest with a length of 0.59 feet.

The average weight of a Buzzard is 1.2-2.8 pounds. The Upland Buzzard weighs 3.08 pounds. while The average weight of the Sparrow is 0.84 ounce. The weight of the Chestnut Sparrow is 0.5 ounce and that of the Parrot-billed Sparrow is 1.5 ounce.

Where do Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows build their nests in holes and cavities of small trees, in shrubs, and buildings. They prefer their nests to be closer to the ground. The nests generally look spherical and measure eight to 10 inches in diameter. The female and male partners construct the nest using straw, twigs, roots, leaves, grass, paper, thread, wool, and feather. The eggs are completely white, or bluish white, or greenish white with brown spots. Both partners incubate the eggs. The eggs hatch in 10-14 days. The young ones that are fed by both parents fledge in about two weeks.

How long do Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are known to live for four to seven years. Some species can even live up to 20 years. The House Sparrows live until 23 years in captivity.

Are Buzzard or Sparrow 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 Sparrows are migratory. The ones from Canada, North America, northern parts of Europe, and east Asia migrate during winters. The House Sparrows typically do not migrate as they do not encounter harsh weather or scarcity of food in any time of the year. Among the migratory species, American Tree Sparrow migrates from North America and Canada to the USA, while the Savannah Sparrow travels from Alaska to the USA. In northern and central Europe, migration takes place among Eurasian Tree Sparrow that relocates to Africa. The Russet Sparrow is a species from Himalayas that spends its time in south-east Asia during winters.

Do Buzzard and Sparrow 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 Sparrows is called a flock. The birds are highly sociable. They live in colonies of about 20 birds, which may even extend to about a 100. The birds are always found in groups, foraging, flying, and roosting together. Their nests are also built next to each other during the breeding season. Sparrows are also intelligent birds. They are known for cooperation and teamwork. The birds work together to find food, build nests, preen feathers, and remove lice and parasites from their skin. They chirp incessantly to let their group know about where they are. As Sparrows are tiny birds, living in large flocks also helps in intimidating the predator and also mobbing the predator if required.

Are Buzzard or Sparrow 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.

Not all species of Sparrows are protected. For example, the House Sparrow is not protected in the USA. It has partial protection in the UK, where shooting it with a licence is allowed. The species is fully protected in Canada.

Are Buzzard or Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are not endangered but their numbers are on a steep decline. Factors affecting the population of Sparrows are loss of habitat, scarcity of food, urbanization, radiation from mobile towers, pollution, use of pesticides in farmlands, and hunting.

Can Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows fly by taking off directly, flapping their wings, and folding their legs. Their average flying speed is 24-31 miles an hour. The altitude range they can fly at varies for different species. While most of them normally fly at around 500 feet, some fly at around 2,000 feet. During migration they fly 5,000-20,000 feet high and cover 15-600 miles in a day. Sparrows fly in flocks because they are tiny birds and flying in groups supports energy conservation. It will also help them spot and threaten predators. On the ground, Sparrows are commonly seen hopping. They jump forward and backward for scraping mud, leaves, or grass with their toes and search for food underneath.

Can Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are not regular swimmers. However, they can swim fast to escape from danger. Some species like the House Sparrow can even swim under water. Sparrows regularly bathe in water, sometimes even in a puddle. They wiggle in water to loosen up the dirt on their feathers and to control body temperature.

Mating patterns among Buzzard and Sparrow

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.

Depending on the species, Sparrows start mating when they are five to nine months old. The birds mate in small colonies. During courtship, the male hops around the female with inflated chest, raised tail, and slouched wings. He also chirps and sings for her. The partners copulate until the female can lay eggs. They produce nearly four broods in a breeding season. The female lays one to eight eggs in a clutch. Both partners incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

When is the mating season for Buzzard and Sparrow ?

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

The mating season for sparrows depends on geography. It can range from March to August. The courtship can begin as early as January.

Do Buzzard and Sparrow mate for life?

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

Sparrows mate for life. They remain monogamous throughout their life and return to the same nesting territory every year. When one of the partners is lost or dies, the surviving partner finds another mate within a few days.

How do Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows roost in large groups while perching on trees. They may even shelter inside tree holes and cavities. They draw together to stay warm on cold nights. Their usual sleeping posture is head tucked inside plumped up feathers.

Can Buzzard and Sparrow 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.

Sparrows are widely consumed by people. They are a delicacy in French, Italian, Japanese, and German cuisines. As the law in most countries provide protection only to some species of Sparrows, obtaining the bird meat for food is not restricted.

Can you hunt Buzzard or Sparrow?

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.

Sparrows are hunted for their meat. They are considered a pest by farmers, who kill them to save their crops. Hunting Sparrows is allowed in some countries, while killing them with a licence is permitted in few others.

Can you feed Buzzard or Sparrow?

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.

Sparrows can be fed with a mix of seeds, corn, millets, fruits, and insects.