Meaning & use
buzzard
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Meanings
nouncountable
A large bird of prey that flies in wide circles high in the sky while looking for food.
Grammar: Countable: one buzzard, two buzzards.
Patterns
- a buzzard soaring
- a pair of buzzards
We watched a buzzard circling above the field.
Buzzards often perch on fence posts while hunting.
The buzzard swooped down and caught a rabbit.
nouncountableAmerican
(US) A turkey vulture, a large dark bird that feeds on dead animals.
Grammar: Countable; in American English this is the common meaning.
Patterns
- a buzzard circling
- a flock of buzzards
In the US, people often call turkey vultures 'buzzards'.
A buzzard sat on the road eating a dead deer.
Buzzards are protected by law in many states.
Word forms
| plural | buzzards |
|---|
Common combinations
- common buzzard
- The common buzzard is the most widespread bird of prey in Britain.
- a buzzard circling overhead
- A buzzard circled overhead, looking for mice.
- buzzard's nest
- They found a buzzard's nest high in the tree.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: buzzard or buzzard vs. buzzard?
buzzard vs buzzard vs. buzzard
In British English a buzzard is a hawk-like bird; in American English it usually means a vulture. Context matters.
Practice
In British English, what is a buzzard?
Choose one answer.
In British English, a buzzard is a large bird of prey often seen soaring. 'A small songbird' and 'a type of owl' are different birds, and 'a domestic chicken' is not a bird of prey.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “buzzard”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.