Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Jackal Buzzard
Buteo rufofuscus
Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus) — Birds of Prey of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 1.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Buteo
- Species rufofuscus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.5 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Jackal Buzzard preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Jackal Buzzard is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Namibia and South Africa.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.5 kg, with a wing length of about 41.3 cm and a tail of around 19 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Jackal Buzzard?
The Jackal Buzzard is a very large bird that weighs around 1.5 kg.
Where does the Jackal Buzzard live?
The Jackal Buzzard is found across Africa with a range covering AF Namibia and South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Jackal Buzzard belong to?
The Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Jackal Buzzard eat?
The Jackal Buzzard preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Jackal Buzzard migrate?
The Jackal Buzzard is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Jackal Buzzard endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Jackal Buzzard make?
1 real field recording of the Jackal Buzzard — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Jackal Buzzard's range?
The Jackal Buzzard has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.