Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo

Features

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.

Species	Bird
Living space	Deciduous forest
Size	30-36 cm
Weight	131-340 g

Description

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. It is a bird of open country such as farmland, marshes, taiga and savannah. This species breeds across Africa, Europe and Asia. It is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa and Asia. It is a very bold and courageous bird and was used in falconry, trained to hawk birds like quails, larks, hoopoes, drongos, etc.