CreatureData

Forest buzzard vs Red-tailed hawk

The red-tailed hawk is heavier: 1.1 kg against 568 g for the forest buzzard, about 94% more.

Forest buzzard (Buteo trizonatus)
Forest buzzard NTNear Threatened
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Red-tailed hawk LCLeast Concern
Photo: Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What is the difference between a forest buzzard and a red-tailed hawk?

Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.

  • The red-tailed hawk is heavier: 1.1 kg against 568 g for the forest buzzard, about 94% more.
  • Both belong to the genus Buteo, so they are close relatives.
  • The forest buzzard is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List; the red-tailed hawk is Least Concern.

Side by side

Forest buzzardRed-tailed hawk
Scientific nameButeo trizonatusButeo jamaicensis
FamilyAccipitridaeAccipitridae
OrderAccipitriformesAccipitriformes
Weight568 g – 700 g1.03 kg – 1.22 kg
LengthNot recordedNot recorded
LifespanNot recorded25.5 years
Main foodNot recordedNot recorded
Habitatforestwoodland
Conservation statusNear ThreatenedLeast Concern
Countries recordedNot recordedNot recorded

A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.

Full record: Forest buzzardFull record: Red-tailed hawkCompare other animals