The hobby is Britain's most aerial falcon, a summer visitor that specializes in catching large insects and swallows in flight with exceptional speed and maneuverability.
Hobby welfare on UK breeding grounds depends on aerial insect abundance and suitable woodland edge nest sites. Decline of aerial insects including dragonflies and large moths reduces prey availability. Old crow and magpie nests used for breeding require suitable trees to remain standing through winter. Disturbance at nest sites by birdwatchers, especially where nesting trees are well-known, causes nest abandonment. Hobby population growth in the UK suggests current conditions are broadly favorable, though prey abundance remains the key limiting welfare factor. Dragonfly conservation through wetland restoration benefits hobbies by increasing prey availability.