In the US, it’s common to refer to vultures as buzzards, but in much of the rest of the world, buzzard refers to what I’ve heard referred to as the “broad winged hawks” like the red tailed hawk and the red shouldered hawk. In contrast to the “short winged hawks” (accipiters) , like the Cooper’s hawk or the sharp shinned hawk.
A similar naming clash exists with sparrow hawks, which are hawks, except for what we in the US call a sparrow hawk, which is a type of falcon.
So red tailed hawks are a type of hawk, and in some places are called buzzards.
Really? Got a source? I’m not doubting you, just intensely curious
It’s a terminology clash.
In the US, it’s common to refer to vultures as buzzards, but in much of the rest of the world, buzzard refers to what I’ve heard referred to as the “broad winged hawks” like the red tailed hawk and the red shouldered hawk. In contrast to the “short winged hawks” (accipiters) , like the Cooper’s hawk or the sharp shinned hawk.
A similar naming clash exists with sparrow hawks, which are hawks, except for what we in the US call a sparrow hawk, which is a type of falcon.
So red tailed hawks are a type of hawk, and in some places are called buzzards.
Thank you. I had gleaned that buzzard was a term we use differently in the US but you’ve helped clarify the topic even more for me.
Red-tailed hawks are of the genus Buteo. Per the Wikipedia article on hawks:
Thanks! Birds are endlessly interesting creatures.