Which is bigger, American bison or Cape buffalo?

American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on weight — about 1.2×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

How do American bison and Cape buffalos compare on height?

American bison: 1.5–2 m. Cape buffalo: 1.3–1.7 m. American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on height — about 1.2×.

How do American bison and Cape buffalos compare on length?

American bison: 2.1–3.5 m. Cape buffalo: 2.1–3.4 m. American bison and Cape buffalo are near enough identical on length.

American bison vs Cape buffalo

American bison is larger on weight

American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on weight — about 1.2×.

An American bison and a Cape buffalo can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
	American bison	Cape buffalo
Weight	320–1,270 kg	350–900 kg
Height	1.5–2 m	1.3–1.7 m
Length	2.1–3.5 m	2.1–3.4 m
Top speed	56 km/h	57 km/h
Typical lifespan	15–25 yr	18–29 yr

What the numbers say

American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on weight — about 1.2×.
American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on height — about 1.2×.
American bison and Cape buffalo are near enough identical on length.
American bison and Cape buffalo are near enough identical on top speed.
Cape buffalo is somewhat greater than American bison on typical lifespan — about 1.1×.

Weight compared.

American bison 320–1,270 kg

Cape buffalo 350–900 kg

American bison

The heaviest land animal in the Americas; commonly called a buffalo, though true buffalo live in Africa and Asia.

Cape buffalo

A large, unpredictable African bovid whose fused horn bosses form a helmet across the skull.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, American bison or Cape buffalo?: American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on weight — about 1.2×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do American bison and Cape buffalos compare on height?: American bison: 1.5–2 m. Cape buffalo: 1.3–1.7 m. American bison is somewhat greater than Cape buffalo on height — about 1.2×.
How do American bison and Cape buffalos compare on length?: American bison: 2.1–3.5 m. Cape buffalo: 2.1–3.4 m. American bison and Cape buffalo are near enough identical on length.

Sources

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked