Wildlife

Wild Hobby Welfare and Breeding

Hobbies are elegant summer migrant falcons that breed in southern England, hunting dragonflies and swallows over wetlands and heathland.

Key Facts

Hobbies arrive in the UK from Africa in May and depart by October
They are the only UK raptor fast enough to catch swifts and swallows in flight
Hobby welfare is threatened by disturbance at nest sites in woodland near heathland and wetland
UK hobby populations have increased as dragonfly populations partially recover with wetland restoration
Satellite tracking reveals migration routes across the Sahara to sub-Saharan Africa

Welfare Considerations

Hobby welfare benefits from both UK breeding habitat protection and wetland conservation that supports their dragonfly prey base. Legal protection from nest disturbance is essential during breeding.

What You Can Do

Report hobby nest sites to your county raptor study group for monitoring and protection
Support wetland creation that benefits dragonfly populations and hobby foraging
Record hobby sightings through BTO surveys to contribute to breeding distribution monitoring