Photo: Koshy Koshy from Faridabad, Haryana, India / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Long-legged Buzzard
Buteo rufinus
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.2 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 rufinus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Long-legged Buzzard preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Long-legged Buzzard is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF sw, sc.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.2 kg, with a wing length of about 44.8 cm and a tail of around 24.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 8.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Long-legged Buzzard?
The Long-legged Buzzard is a very large bird that weighs around 1.2 kg.
Where does the Long-legged Buzzard live?
The Long-legged Buzzard is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF sw, sc, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Long-legged Buzzard belong to?
The Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Long-legged Buzzard eat?
The Long-legged Buzzard preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Long-legged Buzzard migrate?
The Long-legged Buzzard is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Long-legged 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 Long-legged Buzzard make?
1 real field recording of the Long-legged Buzzard — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Long-legged Buzzard's range?
The Long-legged Buzzard has a mapped global range of about 8.6 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.