Hobbies are specialist aerial hunters that target dragonflies and large insects, with their welfare linked to the abundance of wetland dragonfly prey in summer breeding territories.
Hobby welfare is directly linked to prey availability, particularly dragonfly abundance. In territories lacking accessible wetland habitat, hobbies substitute large insects and small birds as prey, which is less energy-efficient than dragonfly-rich hunting areas. Climate-driven changes to dragonfly emergence timing could create mismatch with hobby breeding schedules, reducing chick provisioning rates. In cold, wet summers, low insect abundance forces adults to hunt further afield. Maintaining and restoring wetland habitats that support dragonfly populations in agricultural landscapes directly benefits hobby welfare and breeding success.