Hobby

The Hobby is a small, sleek falcon with long, pointed wings and a relatively short tail. Its upperparts are slate-grey, contrasting with a white throat and dark 'moustache' streaks. The underparts are white with bold black streaks. Eyes are brown with a yellow eye ring and white eyebrow, and legs are yellow.

Both sexes look similar, with females being slightly larger. Juveniles show a buffy wash on the underparts and less distinct streaking. In flight, the Hobby's silhouette resembles a large swift, with its streamlined body and sickle-shaped wings.

A useful identification feature is the reddish brown-coloured thighs and undertail coverts (the feathers that overlap the belly and tail), easily visible in flight or when the bird is perching on a branch or pole.

Hobbies inhabit open woodlands, forest edges, and farmland with scattered trees across Europe and Asia. They prefer areas near water bodies, which attract their insect prey. During summer, they breed across much of Europe, including the UK.

In winter, Hobbies migrate to sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. They are absent from most of their European range from September to April, returning to breed in late spring.

In the UK, the hobby can be found across England, most of Wales and more recently in small numbers in southern Scotland, generally appearing between April and October.