The buzzard has one of the most variable plumages of any wild bird, and so the identification can be difficult. It is readily confused with honey buzzard, rough-legged buzzard, hen harrier, marsh harrier, red kite, and even golden eagle.

The name buzzard comes from the French busard and replaced the Old English name of tysca. Falconers considered buzzards worthless, and the word buzzard is still used colloquially by some to denote stupidity.

The colloquial name gled means glider, whilst puddock or puttock indicates a dependence on frogs and toads.

The newest name for the buzzard is tourists eagle, a rather unkind name coined by the Scots due to the regularity with which visitors mistake buzzards for golden eagles.

Food is principally small mammals, but in their absence birds, reptiles, amphibians, larger insects, and earthworms are also taken. Prey up to 500g in weight is taken by active predation, anything heavier than this is usually carrion or seriously enfeebled individuals. Gamebirds are seldom taken, even in areas where birds form an important part of the diet.

Buzzards use three main hunting techniques. They locate prey from a perch and then fly direct to the located prey, sometimes using intervening cover for a surprise attact. They often soar over open terrain, occasionally hanging in the wind or hovering before dropping on to the prey and following up the attack on the ground. They can also be seen walking or standing on the ground whilst looking for invertebrates.

The buzzard is protected at all times by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to take, injure or kill a buzzard, or to take, damage or destroy its nest, eggs or young.

Wild common buzzards are allowed to be kept in captivity only temporarily if they are injured, and then must be released back to the wild at the earliest opportunity. Captive bred individuals can be legally kept, but these must be ringed if they are to be sold. Sale or public display of buzzards are controlled by Article 10 licence. All the licensing matters are dealt with by Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Britain and by Department for Agriculture in Northern Ireland.

Buzzard is the correct term for a family of hawks. (ie the European buzzard, Buteo buteo, closely related to the American red tailed hawk). In America, the term is often employed incorrectly to describe vultures. This probably dates back to the arrival of the first English colonists. There are no vultures of any type in England, so these pioneers probably gave the common term "buzzard" to all the soaring figures above the New World. The buzzard is the most common of Britain's larger birds of prey. Its mewing 'kiew' is a familiar sound in hilly country in western or northern Britain, as it soars effortlessly, rising on a thermal of warm air. Golden eagles build large nests, traditionally called an eyrie, which is usually sited on a rocky outcrop. Two eggs are laid at several days' interval and most commonly the elder chick will kill the younger one.