Birds
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo · Șorecar comun
The most common large bird of prey in much of Romania, often seen perched on poles beside roads.
At a glance
- Status in Romania
- Resident
- Habitat
- Forest / Meadow
- Activity
- Daytime
- Diet
- Small mammals, especially voles, also earthworms, reptiles and carrion.
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN)
- Photography difficulty
- Moderate
Identification
Medium-large, broad-winged and round-tailed, with very variable brown and white plumage.
Habitat
Farmland and meadows next to woodland.
Approximate range in Romania
When it is active
Daytime
Diet
Small mammals, especially voles, also earthworms, reptiles and carrion.
Behaviour
Soars in circles on thermals and hunts from perches.
Seasonality in Romania
- JanPresent
- FebPresent
- MarPresent
- AprPresent
- MayPresent
- JunPresent
- JulPresent
- AugPresent
- SepPresent
- OctPresent
- NovPresent
- DecPresent
Existing monthly estimates are retained for reference, but have not yet been verified against a Romanian source and are excluded from seasonal filters. Unconfirmed months do not imply absence. * Event timing retained from the earlier entry, not yet source-verified.
How to find it
Poles, fence posts and field edges almost anywhere in the countryside.
Photography
General guidance based on the species’ behaviour, not a report of Nick’s personal field experience.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Fieldcraft
- A parked car often works as a hide for perched buzzards.
Practical starting points, not fixed rules.