What is the difference between a turkey buzzard and a hawk

There are two names for the bald-headed birds of prey that feed on roadkill and circle lost characters in cartoons: vultures and buzzards. At least that's the case in North America. In other parts of the world, buzzards and vultures are two different birds. Vulture is the easiest word to define, because the name describes the same animal in all English-speaking countries.

The birds are scavengers known for their distinct, featherless heads. Buzzards and vultures may seem like common, familiar birds, but these two terms can actually be very confusing and are often mistaken for completely different species. Vultures are universally understood to be the bald-headed, long-necked scavenging birds that get a bad reputation for their enjoyment of eating carrion. These birds actually provide a valuable ecological service, however, as they clean up carcasses and help prevent the spread of diseases to other wildlife, including humans.

There are 23 vulture species in the world, in two distinct groups. The seven vulture species of the New World belong to the Cathartidae bird family, while the 16 vulture species of the Old World are in the family Accipitridae. Despite the fact that these species are only distantly related, however, they do share many familiar characteristics and both groups are easily recognized as vultures. There are 26 bird species in the world named buzzard, including the European honey-buzzard, lizard buzzard, forest buzzard, and long-legged buzzard.

At least one buzzard species can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Buzzards are a type of hawk, specifically, buteos.

These are medium- to large-sized hawks with broad wings ideal for soaring on thermal currents. Most buzzards prefer relatively open country where they can soar easily and search for prey. Unlike vultures, buzzards hunt for their meals and prefer to capture living prey, though they will occasionally snack on a carcass, especially if other food sources are scarce.

In the United States, when someone refers to a buzzard, it means a turkey vulture, a member of the New World vultures. Elsewhere in the world, a buzzard is in the same family as Old World vultures — Accipitridae — in the Buteo genus. In North America, the Buteo genus refers to hawks or buzzard hawks. Until , conventional wisdom was a vulture is a vulture; all vultures were considered members of the order Falconiformes.

After discovering American vultures are closely related to storks and ibises, vultures were classed into Old World and New World categories. New World vultures are in the Cathartidae family. Contact us. Close Menu. Click HERE! JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. How do I tell a turkey vulture from a hawk when it is high in the sky? Sort by date Sort by reaction score. Jun 23, 2, 56 Pennsylvania. Okay, okay, I know this sounds a little okay, a lot stupid, but I can't tell the difference between a hawk and a turkey vulture if they reasonably far in the sky. Whenever I see a big dark bird flying around outside I quickly put my chickens inside their coop.

If I am up close, I can easily see if it is a hawk or turkey vulture. But when they are up in the sky, I have trouble knowing which one it is I love to sit outside with my chickens running around, but I know hawks are really daring. So I don't wanna take any chances. I have heard though, that if there are two or more, they are probably turkey vultures.

I have also heard that turkey vultures are bigger and darker. Any tips on telling the difference? Any comparison pictures? I had trouble researching this on Google. Fiddlehead Songster 9 Years. May 12, 13 Western Mass. Quote: So a turkey vulture's sticks out, while a hawk's is smooth?

Or the turkey vulture's is round, while the hawk's is pointy?