First described by John Gould in 1841, it forms part of the family Accipitridae (hawks and eagles) and is most closely related to the square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Birds in the immature and juvenile phases of growth display pale brown colouring, with dark to black streaks increasing with age.

[5] Adult females also make a soft drawn-out wheezing call to solicit their mate to copulate, undertake nest-building, forage for food and defend the nest.

[6] Found to occur in wooded and open habitats, the black-breasted buzzard is most commonly observed in riparian forests and tall-open woodlands surrounded by mid-dense shrublands.

[9] Not regarded as a specialist or highly proficient hunter, the buzzard's diet often includes carrion of large mammals that may be sourced along roads, tracks and creek lines.

[6][9] It uses a variety of methods to search for food, including soaring in transects over low vegetation, undertaking cooperative hunting with conspecifics and observing from high up on unconcealed perches.

[9] Skilled in terrestrial hunting,[9] the black-breasted buzzard is famous for its use of stones to crack the eggs of large ground-nesting birds such as the Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), Brolga (Grus rubicundus) and Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis).

[12] The trees may be dead with bare exposed limbs, or live and foliated, with nests positioned in prominent forks high up in the canopies.

[6][15] Recent studies have assessed the black-breasted buzzard as one of many avian species of particular conservation concern in the Western Division of New South Wales.

[17] Causes of population declines in raptor species of the arid and semi-arid regions of Australia include broad-scale landscape changes due to extensive pastoralism and clearing of native vegetation; overgrazing by stock, feral animals and increased kangaroo populations; altered fire regimes; the introduction of destructive feral predators such as the house cat (Felis catus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes); and the cessation of traditional Aboriginal hunting and land management practices.

[6][18][19][20][21] Other potential causes of decline include direct persecution by humans in the form of illegal egg collection and shooting[6] which has been recorded in a number of Australian raptor species, for example the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in South Australia.

[9] The black-breasted buzzard has a varied diet including carrion that may afford it some resilience in the face of intense drought when carcasses of perished large mammals become abundant.

[6] More frequent and intense wildfire events will also increasingly contribute to the decline of large trees and potential black-breasted buzzard habitat.