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Species › Birds

Common Buzzard

Buteo buteo

Order
Accipitriformes
Family
Accipitridae
Presence in the Strait
Resident
Abundance
common
Protection in Spain
Special protection (List)
In Spanish
Busardo ratonero

Photograph: Alexis Williams, CC BY, vía iNaturalist

Length
51–57 cm
Wingspan
113–128 cm
Weight
775–1,000 g
050100150LENGTH51–57 cmWINGSPAN113–128 cmcentimetres

Presence in the Strait

Common resident of woodlands and open areas (>40 pairs). A non-breeder until the end of the 19th Century but it has expanded throughout the region during the 20th Century.

Identification

Generally a dark brown raptor. In flight, broad rounded wings and tail. Adults can be highly variable, from almost white to dark brown. Juveniles are coarsely streaked on their breast and lack the dark terminal tail-band.

Movements

Scarce migrant (>150 post. migr.) with peaks in 1st hf. April and 2nd hf. October. They are usually Scandanavian birds among which the subspecies Buteo buteo vulpinus may be seen, of which two winter records exist (27.11.88 and 18.12.99). This subspecies is slightly smaller and has a more pale rufous tail (see Long-legged Buzzard).

Ring recoveries

Sweden (6) and Finland (3).

Bioestrecho editorial text. Last revised: 8 September 2026.

Gallery

Photographs from iNaturalist observations with the licence checked file by file. Those marked “Strait” were taken within the area; place and date are those of each observation.