European Birds of Prey Species

European birds of prey identification and biology

There are currently 40 birds of prey in Europe, which fall into 7 main categories:

  • Falcons
  • Eagles
  • Hawks
  • Buzzards
  • Kites
  • Harriers
  • Vultures

Two European birds of prey, the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and the European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), don’t really belong in any of the categories above, and are each classified as a separate genus within the family of Accipitridae.

However, for the sake of simplicity, we have included the Osprey with the eagles, and the European Honey Buzzard with the buzzards.

Now let’s take a closer look at all of the European raptors in these categories. Each bird in the list below is hyperlinked to a page with a detailed species description, in case you’re interested in learning more about that particular raptor.

Falcons

Eagles

Hawks

Buzzards

Kites

Harriers

Vultures