What is the word for hawk in French?

Answer 1

"Hawk" is a very loose term in English, that matches many species and genuses that have different names in French.

A similarly loose translation could be "buse", which is generally understood to match only birds from the "buteoninae" subfamily.

So it is probably better to know what genus of "hawks" we are talking about, and use the name for that genus.

For instance, listing only the French generic names:

• The red-tailed hawk of the USA belongs to the "buteo" genus, a "buse".
• The goshawk ("goose hawk", from the "accipiter" genus) is an "autour".
• The smaller sparrowhawk of the same genus is an "épervier".
• African cuckoo-hawks are called "bazas".
• The bat hawk and some kites from the "milvus" genus are "milans".

Harriers ("busards") and some small eagles ("aigles") might even be included under the vague "hawks" umbrella, and British English uses the word "buzzard" for some of the birds that American English considers as "hawks", so it makes it impossible to use a literal translation. "Petits et moyens rapaces diurnes" would be the (cumbersome) but most precise translation, meaning "small and medium diurnal Birds of Prey". Drop the "petits et moyens" if you consider even large birds of prey such as the bald eagle as an hawk.