Eurasian hobby
| Eurasian hobby | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Falconiformes |
| Family: | Falconidae |
| Genus: | Falco |
| Species: | F. subbuteo |
| Binomial name | |
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Falco subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758 |
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The Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo), or just simply hobby, is a small slim falcon. It belongs to a rather close-knit group of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis.
The first formal description of the Eurasian hobby was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the present binomial name Falco subbuteo. The genus name falco derives from Late Latin falx, falcis, a sickle, referring to the claws of the bird. The species name subbuteo is from Latin sub, "near to" and buteo, " buzzard" . The species' English name comes from Old French hobé or hobet. It became the trademark for the Subbuteo games company after its creator was refused permission to register "Hobby".
Currently two subspecies are recognized:
Adults are slate-grey above with a dark crown and two short black moustachial stripes. The throat is unstreaked white, thighs and undertail coverts are unstreaked rufous and rest of the underparts are whitish with black streaks. Close views enable the red "trousers" and vent to be seen. Sexes are similar. Juveniles are generally much browner, with scaled upper parts and streaked buffy thighs and undertail coverts.
The hobby has a distinct first-summer plumage.
This falcon is 29–36 cm (11–14 in) in length with a wingspan of 74–84 cm (29–33 in) and a weight of 175–285 g (6.2–10.1 oz).
F. subbuteo from Kadzidlowo
Juvenile F. subbuteo portrait
In flight
This species breeds across Africa, Europe and Asia. It is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa and Asia.
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