Eurasian Hobby Falcon Falco subbuteo

Called just the Hobby in the UK and the Eurasian (or Northern) Hobby elsewhere to distinguish from other Hobby Falcons, it is a medium-sized falcon. The Hobby has distinctive white cheeks with dark malar stripes, vertical stripes on the underside and a rusty-coloured vent and thighs.

Adults, both males and females, generally have dark grey-brown plumage with a white neck and striped front. Juveniles have dark brown with fawn neck/front. All photos of adult Hobbies shown except above right are by Alexandra Makhnina

Hobbies are very agile in the air, able to take dragonflies, swifts and swallows on the wing. They migrate south in winter following their flocks of prey.