A Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address
In Britain this is a name for a hawk; in the USA it describes various large birds of prey, including the vulture. Applied to a person by an American speaker, ‘buzzard’ describes a rapacious and contemptible individual, though a passing reference to a man as an ‘old buzzard’ may be humorous.
In Laura, by Vera Caspary, one man calls another ‘my sweet buzzard’ because he is metaphorically feeding off the dead, buying the property of a recently deceased person with a view to making a substantial profit. In A Woman Called Fancy, by Frank Yerby, occurs:’ ‘You buzzard,” Wyche said. “Now, Wyche,” the tall man said, “you ain’t got no call to lowrate me like that—‘specially in front of a lady. Haven’t taken notice of you letting any suckers off scot-free yourself…,”’
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