Buteo rufofuscus
Silhouette: Lauren Anderson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The jackal buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus) is a fairly large African bird of prey. The taxonomy of this species has caused some confusion in the past and it almost certainly belongs in a species complex with other African Buteo species. Some taxonomists have considered this species, the Archer's buzzard (Buteo archeri), and the augur buzzard (Buteo augur) to be the same superspecies. Many taxonomists consider them all to be distinct, having different calls, different home ranges and variations in plumage. The species is resident and non-migratory throughout its range.
The jackal buzzard is one of the two larger Buteo species native to Africa, alongside its close cousin, the augur buzzard. Adults may measure 44 to 60 cm (17 to 24 in) in total length. In weight, one survey found 55 unsexed birds to weight from 790 to 1,370 g (1.74 to 3.02 lb) while another found seven males to weigh from 865 to 1,080 g (1.907 to 2.381 lb) and eleven females to weigh from 1,150 to 1,700 g (2.54 to 3.75 lb). Another female also weighed approximately 1,700 g (3.7 lb), making this one of the more massive Buteo species in the world. Eighteen jackal buzzards were found to have averaged 1,059.4... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Gate Highlands National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | De Hoop Nature Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | West Coast National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 8 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 10 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tierpark Sababurg | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Jackal Buzzard sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park on a given day, based on 51 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 113th most-seen of the 220 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Jackal Buzzard in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park on a given day, against under 5% in March, May and July, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Jackal Buzzard sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
7th of 11
Of the 11 parks where we can rate Jackal Buzzard sightings, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park ranks 7th at about 10%. The best odds are in Golden Gate Highlands National Park (South Africa, about 60%), Addo Elephant National Park (South Africa, about 30%) and De Hoop Nature Reserve (South Africa, about 30%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Jackal Buzzard is recorded against all the birds logged in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (51 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
