The sight of a buzzard soaring high in the sky is a common one across much of the United States. But what happens if you were to kill one of these large birds of prey? Here’s a quick answer: Killing a buzzard is illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and can result in fines up to $15,000 and even jail time.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at buzzards, the laws protecting them, penalties for killing one, and reasons why you should avoid doing so.

What Are Buzzards?

Buzzards are large birds of prey that belong to the hawk family. There are around two dozen species of buzzards found worldwide. Most buzzards have broad wings and wide tails that allow them to soar high in the air and scan below for food.

Physical Description and Habitat

Buzzards are generally big, heavyset hawks with wingspans ranging from around 4 to 6 feet across. Their feathers can be dark brown, black, gray, or white. Many buzzard species have featherless heads and necks covered in red skin.

This allows them to reach deep into carcasses and avoid getting blood and gore on their plumage.

These sizeable raptors reside in a variety of habitats depending on the particular species. For instance, the common buzzard inhabits forests and woodlands across much of Europe and Asia. Turkey vultures range widely across the Americas in both wilderness and rural settings.

And the white-backed vulture occupies African grasslands and savannas.

Diet and Behavior

As carnivores and scavengers, buzzards consume carrion more than they kill live prey. They gorge on the carcasses of large dead animals. Using their strong beaks, buzzards tear open hides and peel back skin to access nutritious meat and organs.

Soaring high above the landscape allows buzzards to spot potential meals from great distances. Once a carcass is sighted, buzzards descend rapidly toward the prize. More buzzards soon join in a frenzied feast.

Their stomach acid kills bacteria allowing them to consume rotting remains that could sicken other animals.

Buzzards are generally social and non-aggressive. Outside of feeding, they may roost in large community groups. Courtship displays involve elaborate aerial maneuvers and calls. Buzzards build large nests out of sticks high up on cliffs, trees, or human structures.

Species Found in the U.S.

The three buzzard species most common across the U.S. include:

  • Turkey Vulture: The most widespread buzzard in the Americas from Southern Canada down to Cape Horn. It’s known for its bald, red head and dark brown body.
  • Black Vulture: Mainly inhabits the Southeast U.S. southward into South America. An all black vulture with gray wing tips in flight.
  • California Condor: North America’s largest land bird with a wingspan up to 10 feet wide. Currently endangered but recovering thanks to extensive conservation efforts.
Turkey Vulture Black Vulture California Condor
Average Wingspan 5-6 feet 4.5-5 feet 9-10 feet
Average Weight 4-5 lbs 4-5 lbs 25 lbs
Average Lifespan 10 years 12 years 60 years

To learn more, check out sites like the National Audubon Society and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Laws Protecting Buzzards

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 is perhaps the most important legislation protecting buzzards and other native bird species. This federal law makes it illegal to kill, harm, harass, or possess any migratory bird, nest, egg or parts without a permit from the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service. Over 1,000 species are currently protected under the MBTA, including buzzards.

Some key points about the MBTA:

  • Passed in 1918, it is one of the oldest wildlife conservation laws in the U.S.
  • The law implements treaties between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia to protect shared migratory bird resources.
  • It covers the destruction of nests (such as cutting down trees) as well as hunting/killing of birds.
  • Fines under the MBTA can be up to $15,000 per individual bird and jail time is also possible for major violations.

The MBTA has helped prevent many buzzard species like the Turkey Vulture from suffering the same fate as the Passenger Pigeon, which went extinct in 1914 due to uncontrolled hunting. While the law does not provide unlimited protection, it has served as an important deterrent to large-scale buzzard destruction over the past century.

State Laws

In addition to federal protection under the MBTA, many states have implemented their own laws and regulations to protect buzzards and other native birds.

For example, in Florida it is illegal to kill buzzards and doing so carries a maximum $500 fine and possible 60 days in jail. Georgia law prohibits killing any wild bird and sets fines up to $1,500 per offense.

Both states classify buzzards as nongame species, a designation that encompasses birds not legally hunted.

Some states without specific anti-buzzard statutes still reinforce federal MBTA protections with their own broader wildlife regulations. California makes it illegal to take, possess, or destroy the nest or eggs of any bird. Colorado law bans hunting or harassing any wildlife without a permit.

Violating these types of laws would likely lead to buzzard-related penalties.

However, protections are not equal across all states. As of 2021, at least 12 states have exceptions or exemptions related to buzzards and other scavenging birds that weaken MBTA provisions. For instance, West Virginia classifies Turkey Vultures as a nuisance animal allowing them to be killed without repercussion.

So specific state laws still play a vital role in buzzard conservation in areas where federal policies fall short.

Penalties for Killing a Buzzard

Killing a buzzard is generally prohibited under federal law in the United States. Buzzards, also known as vultures, are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. This Act makes it illegal to hunt, kill, sell, purchase or possess migratory birds, their parts, nests or eggs without a valid permit from the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service.

Specifically, the law states that it is unlawful to “pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill” or attempt to do the same to any migratory bird or part, nest or egg of any such bird protected under the conventions between the U.S. and Great Britain, Mexico, Japan and Russia.

Penalties for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act can include:

  • Up to 6 months imprisonment and/or a fine up to $15,000 for an organization.
  • Up to 2 years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $2,000 for an individual.

In addition to penalties under the MBTA, violations may also trigger penalties under other federal wildlife protection laws such as the Endangered Species Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

State Penalties

In addition to federal law, many U.S. states have their own laws prohibiting the killing of buzzards and other vulture species. Penalties and protections vary by state.

For example, in Florida it is illegal to kill vultures and the punishment is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.

In Texas, it is illegal to hunt or kill vultures under the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, with penalties starting at a Class C misdemeanor and fines up to $500.

Some states like Virginia classify the accidental killing of buzzards and vultures under their wanton waste laws. In Virginia, the fine for a first offense is $500.

Why You Shouldn’t Kill Buzzards

Ecological Role

Buzzards play an important ecological role as scavengers. They help clean up carrion and prevent the spread of diseases by consuming dead animals. Their strong stomach acids allow them to eat decaying flesh that could contain dangerous bacteria like anthrax and botulism.

Without buzzards to clean things up, these bacteria could spread more easily. Some research suggests a decline in vultures and buzzards has even led to an increase in rabies outbreaks in some areas. So killing buzzards can disrupt the natural processes that keep ecosystems clean and diseases in check.

Buzzards are also valuable for maintaining biodiversity. As scavengers near the top of the food chain, they help cycle nutrients through the ecosystem. Their feeding habits provide food for other species like foxes, rats, and beetles.

Removing buzzards from the environment could impact many other animal populations.

Ethical Reasons

There are ethical reasons to avoid killing buzzards as well. Buzzards are wild animals just trying to survive, so killing them simply for being buzzards could be considered unethical. We should try to coexist with native wildlife when possible.

Killing buzzards also conflicts with efforts to rehabilitate their populations in some areas where they have declined.

Many cultures historically revered vultures and buzzards for their cleaning services. The Cherokee people saw them as sacred purifiers. Some faiths still avoid harming vultures today. So killing buzzards could be seen as disrespectful of certain cultural values.

An ethical wildlife policy emphasizes appreciation and avoidance of harm when possible.

Avoiding Other Problems

Killing buzzards can also lead to other issues. Removing buzzards from an area may temporarily reduce their population, but new ones will likely move in to scavenge. So the effect is usually short-lived.

Poisoning is especially problematic because it can kill non-target animals like hawks or household pets.

It’s also illegal to kill buzzards without permits in many areas, as they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Doing so can result in fines or other penalties. And disposing of buzzard carcasses killed illegally creates an additional challenge.

Simply keeping areas clean and securing trash containers, livestock enclosures, and pet food is a more practical way to manage nuisance buzzards than killing them. So there are many reasons to avoid unlawfully killing buzzards and seek coexistence instead.

Conclusion

In summary, killing a buzzard is illegal under federal law and can result in steep fines and even imprisonment. Buzzards play an important ecological role as scavengers and have intrinsic value as wild animals.

There are also practical reasons to avoid harming them, as you could face legal consequences. If buzzards become a nuisance, non-lethal deterrents are a better solution that don’t carry the same risks.

Understanding the protected status of buzzards and the penalties for violating it can help prevent inadvertent harm to these unique birds.

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