Eurasian Hobby illustration
Birdsong field guide

Eurasian Hobby

Falco subbuteo

The Eurasian Hobby is a small, slender falcon renowned for its remarkable speed and agility, often resembling a large swift in flight. It is a specialized aerial predator capable of catching highly maneuverable prey on the wing.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched, and whistling 'kew-kew-kew-kew-kew'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Rec. Csont-Kelemen Mátyás · RomaniaCC BY-NC-SAXeno-canto

Field notes

  • It is one of the few raptors fast enough to hunt and capture swifts and dragonflies in mid-air.
  • Adults display distinctive rusty-red plumage on their thighs and undertail coverts, often called 'trousers'.
  • This species does not build its own nest, instead occupying old stick nests abandoned by crows or other large birds.
  • They are known to engage in 'vesper flights,' hunting insects late into the twilight hours when other raptors have roosted.
  • A long-distance migrant, some populations travel over 10,000 kilometers from northern Eurasia to reach southern African wintering grounds.
Habitat
Open woodlands, heathlands, and agricultural areas with scattered trees near water.
Range
Breeds across Europe and Asia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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