Falco cuvierii
The African Hobby (Falco cuvierii) is a sleek and agile raptor, a quintessential aerial hunter of the Afrotropics. Averaging 25-33 cm (10-13 in) in length with a wingspan of 60-73 cm (24-29 in) and weighing between 120-250 g (4.2-8.8 oz), it is a medium-sized, slender falcon. Its upperparts are dark slate-grey, contrasting with a rufous vent and thighs, and heavily streaked white to cream underparts. Distinctive field marks include a dark cap, fine malar stripe, and pointed, broad-based wings...
This adaptable raptor inhabits open woodlands, savanna, forest edges, cultivated lands, and even suburban areas, typically at elevations from sea level up to 3,000 meters.
Their diet primarily consists of large flying insects such as dragonflies, grasshoppers, and beetles, supplemented by small birds and bats, all caught on the wing.
African Hobbies are predominantly diurnal, though they often extend their hunting into the crepuscular hours, especially targeting bats and nocturnal insects at dusk. Their foraging strategy is characterized by swift, agile aerial pursuits, often involving spectacular dives and twists to snatch p...
The African Hobby has a wide distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and south through much of Central, East, and Southern Africa. It is largely resident throughout most of its extensive range, with some populations exhibiting local or ...
Least Concern
- The African Hobby is renowned for its incredible aerial agility, often outmaneuvering swallows and swifts in flight. - It is one of the few African raptors that frequently hunts at dusk, specializing in catching bats emerging from their roosts. - Despite its relatively small size, it can take d...