Australian Hobby

Falco longipennis

A swift and skilful hunter of the Australian skies, this compact falcon rockets through city parks and woodlands at high speed to catch birds mid-flight.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Australian Hobby is a sleek, medium-sized falcon with a streamlined body and pointed wings. Its upperparts are dark slate-grey to blackish-brown, contrasting with a pale, streaked underside. The distinctive black 'moustache' marks and reddish-brown thighs are key identifying features.

Females are slightly larger and darker than males. Juveniles have a browner plumage with buff edges to their feathers, giving them a scaly appearance. The cere and eye-ring are blue-grey in adults, turning yellow as the bird matures.

Size

Length

30cm to 35cm

Wingspan

70cm to 84cm

Weight

190g to 350g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White Black

Beak Colour

Grey Black

Leg Colour

Yellow

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Australian Hobby can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Australian Hobby can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Australian Hobby can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Australian Hobby is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

The Australian Hobby is found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, and parts of Indonesia and New Guinea. It inhabits a variety of environments, including open woodlands, forest edges, and, increasingly, urban areas and farmlands.

While some populations are sedentary, others undertake partial migrations, moving northward during the Australian winter. In urban settings, they are often spotted in parks, gardens, and around tall buildings that mimic their natural cliff-side habitats.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Australian Hobby. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons