Hobby: Aerial Hunter Welfare Science

Key Welfare Facts

Hobbies are summer migrants, among the fastest and most agile British raptors, breeding in lowland England.
Their welfare depends on abundant large flying insects including dragonflies and hawkmoths for efficient foraging.
Swallow and swift hunting provides supplemental prey during periods of insect scarcity in cool weather.
Breeding welfare is affected by nest site availability; hobbies use old crow nests and require tall trees.
Late breeding synchronised with swallow and martin chick fledging provides abundant prey for their own chicks.
Habitat management maintaining diverse insect communities including large dragonflies directly supports hobby welfare.

Welfare Assessment

Hobby welfare is linked to the abundance and diversity of large flying insects in the British landscape. Supporting insect habitat management including wetlands for dragonfly prey and wildflower grasslands benefits this charismatic and spectacular aerial hunter.

What You Can Do

Support wetland conservation that maintains dragonfly populations as hobby prey
Reduce pesticide use in gardens and farmland to support the large insect communities hobbies need
Record hobby sightings during the breeding season for national raptor monitoring
Support agri-environment schemes maintaining diverse insect communities in farmland habitats