Wildlife

Wild Hobby Falcon Welfare

Hobbies are charismatic summer migrants whose welfare depends on insect-rich wetlands and heathland for foraging and woodland edges for breeding.

Key Facts

Hobbies take over old crow or magpie nests rather than building their own
UK hobby populations have recovered and now number approximately 2,800 breeding pairs
They arrive from Africa in May and depart by October, hunting dragonflies and aerial insects
Disturbance at nest sites in woodland edges causes breeding failure
Habitat connectivity between heathland foraging areas and woodland nesting sites is critical

Welfare Considerations

Hobby welfare benefits from both wetland conservation supporting dragonfly prey and woodland edge habitats for nesting. Legal nest protection from disturbance is essential during the breeding season.

What You Can Do

Report active hobby nests to your county raptor study group for protection consideration
Support wetland restoration that increases dragonfly availability for hobby foraging
Record hobby sightings through BTO atlas surveys to track breeding distribution