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 or grey-brown plumage with a white neck and vertically striped front. Juveniles are dark brown with fawn neck/front.

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. Photos immediately above are by Alexandra Makhnina and in Kazakhstan.

Hobby chicks being ringed.