Quick Answer
The condor is considered a type of vulture, not a buzzard. Condors belong to the family Cathartidae which consists of New World vultures found in North and South America. Buzzards belong to the family Accipitridae and are a type of hawk found in the Old World. So while condors and buzzards may look similar, they are taxonomically different birds.
What is a Condor?
The condor is a very large bird that lives in South America. There are two species:
Andean Condor
The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is found in the Andes mountains and along the Pacific coast of South America. It has mostly black plumage with white feathers around the neck and underside of the wings. This is the largest flying land bird, with a wingspan of over 10 feet.
California Condor
The California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is found in the western coastal mountains of North America. It is similar in appearance to the Andean condor but slightly smaller. The California condor is endangered but conservation efforts have helped the population recover from near extinction.
So condors are part of the New World vulture family that is found only in the Americas. Now let’s look at buzzards.
What is a Buzzard?
Buzzards are medium to large birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. Unlike condors, buzzards are found in the Old World (Europe, Asia and Africa). Some examples of buzzard species include:
Common Buzzard
The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is the most widespread buzzard species in the Old World. It is found throughout Europe and parts of Asia. The common buzzard has brown plumage on its back and wings, with a paler underside.
Red-tailed Buzzard
The red-tailed buzzard (Buteo jamaicensis) is found across northern Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. As the name suggests, it has a reddish tail. The red-tailed buzzard occupies a similar ecological niche in the Old World as the red-tailed hawk does in North America.
Long-legged Buzzard
The long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus) is found from southern Europe and Africa across the Middle East to India. It prefers more open habitats than other buzzard species. The long-legged buzzard gets its name from having noticeably longer legs than other buzzards.
So in summary, buzzards are raptors belonging to the Accipitridae family and found in the Eastern Hemisphere. While they share some similarities with condors, the two types of birds are taxonomically very distinct.
Key Differences Between Condors and Buzzards
Here is a comparison of some of the key distinguishing features between condors and buzzards:
Characteristic | Condor | Buzzard |
---|---|---|
Family | Cathartidae (New World vultures) | Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, etc) |
Range | Americas | Europe, Asia, Africa |
Head | No feathers, red skin on head | Feathered head |
Neck Ruff | Dense layer of small feathers on neck | No neck ruff |
Size | Very large, up to 10-15 lbs | Medium to large, up to 5 lbs |
Wingspan | 8.5-10.5 feet | 3-4 feet |
Are Condors Vultures?
Yes, condors are considered a type of vulture. The defining characteristics of New World vultures like the condor are:
- Bald head – unlike most other birds of prey, the head has no real feathers
- Neck ruff – a layer of small, dense feathers around the base of the neck
- Weak legs and feet – legs not suited to grasping prey, feet are more like claws
- Excellent soaring ability – long, broad wings ideal for soaring
- Scavenging behavior – primarily eat carrion instead of hunting live prey
Condors share all of these characteristics with other Cathartid vultures of North and South America. Taxonomically, the Cathartidae family is part of the order Cathartiformes which includes New World vultures. The seven extant Cathartid species are all in the genus Cathartes.
So while the condor is unique in being the largest flying land bird, it is very much a vulture in terms of morphology and behavior. Its bald head and neck ruff, weak talons, soaring flight, and diet of carrion clearly characterize it as a vulture.
Do Buzzards and Vultures Overlap?
In North America, the terms buzzard and vulture are distinctly separate. Buzzard refers exclusively to a type of hawk while vulture refers to carrion-eating birds like the turkey vulture and black vulture.
However, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, the term buzzard is sometimes used interchangeably with vulture. Many raptors with the common name buzzard have habits similar to vultures. For example:
Griffon Vulture
This Old World vulture feeds exclusively on carrion and is sometimes called the Eurasian griffon buzzard. Its scientific name is Gyps fulvus.
Cape Vulture
An Old World vulture native to sub-Saharan Africa that is closely related to the griffon vulture. Also called the Cape griffon buzzard and the scientific name is Gyps coprotheres.
White-backed Vulture
This is an African vulture sometimes called the African white-backed buzzard with the scientific name Gyps africanus. As these examples show, buzzard and vulture are interchangeable terms for some carrion-feeding birds outside the Americas.
So in Africa and Eurasia, buzzard does not always refer exclusively to hawk species in the genus Buteo. It may also denote certain vultures, especially those in the genus Gyps. This looser definition of buzzard is why it can potentially overlap with vulture.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Condors are a type of vulture belonging to the Cathartid family of New World vultures.
- Buzzards are medium to large hawks that belong to the Accipitridae family found in the Old World.
- While condors and buzzards share some physical similarities, they are taxonomically distinct groups of birds.
- Condors exhibit all of the classic features that characterize vultures.
- In Europe/Asia/Africa buzzard and vulture are sometimes used interchangeably for certain carrion-eating birds.
So condors are definitively vultures based on taxonomy and morphological traits. Buzzards are hawks and distinct from condors. But there is some overlap in the common names buzzard and vulture referring to the same carrion-feeding raptors outside the Americas. The terms are not always mutually exclusive.