Bison or buffalo?
How to tell them apart
The American bison is often called a buffalo, but it isn’t one of the true buffalo.
Quick answers
They differ on 1 of the 8 quick answers: awake when.
| Question | Bison | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | No, herbivore | No, herbivore |
| Dangerous? | Yes | Yes |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? differs | Daytime | Day & night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | Yes | Yes |
At a glance
| Question | Bison | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | North America, Europe | Africa |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Forest | Grassland, Forest, Wetland, Scrub |
| Size | Huge | Huge |
| Height differs | Up to about 1.9–2 m at the shoulder (American bison) | – |
| Weight differs | 318–900 kg (American bison) | Under 300 to over 835 kg |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives | In herds | In herds |
| Lives for differs | 15–20 years | 20–25 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Bison
Two species of huge, shaggy wild cattle: the American bison, often called buffalo, and the European bison, or wisent. The American bison fell from about 60 million to just 541 animals by 1889.
Buffalo
A large, heavily built wild cow of sub-Saharan Africa. Males have a bony plate between the horns. Herds can number from a few to over a thousand.
Everything on the buffalo page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Side by side.