Eurasian Hobby

Falco subbuteo (Linnaeus, 1758)

		adult juvenile
2016-08-24 Kaptshagai 2016-08-24 Kaptshagai	© Valeriy Gryunberg © Valeriy Gryunberg

Distribution

Breeds and occurs on migration throughout in landscapes where trees and shrubs alternate with the open places.

Biology

The Hobby is common, in places abundant breeding migrant. Inhabits the riparian woods and groves in steppes and deserts, the shelterbelts, the open landscapes with the singles trees; the mountain deciduous and coniferous forests surrounded the open areas; in altitudes up to 2500-2700 m in Tien Shan. In spring appears in mid - end April, on Markakol lake in early May. Migrates singly or in pairs, at Chokpak Pass the migration finishes in mid-May, but in northern areas in the end of May. Nests in separate pairs at least 300-500 m (usually 1-2 km) apart. To breeding Hobbies use the old nest of Crow or Magpie without repairing, sometimes Hobbies thrust out the owners of inhabited nest. In unique occasion one female laid the eggs on the leaves on ground without any lining. Laying of 2-6 (usually 3-4) eggs is in mid-June – July. Both parents (male has brood patches) incubate for about 28 days from the laying of first egg, but mostly female. Chicks are born in July – early August, both parents feed nestlings which fledge in August – early September. In northern Kazakhstan laying is in May – early June, chicks fledge in mid-July – early August. The later breeding in southern Kazakhstan explained by the adaptation of the chicks feeding by the migrating birds (Sparrows, Swallows) mostly. The autumn migration begins in August, the latest birds leave northern Kazakhstan in the middle of September. On Markakol lake singly Hobby was observed on October 26. In southern areas the active traffic of migration is in September – early October. Hobbies migrate singly or in loose groups of 3-5 birds.

Subspecies

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.