African hobby

The African hobby is a captivating small bird of prey from the Falconidae family. Its striking blackish upperparts and rich rufous underparts, paired with yellow facial skin and feet, make it easily recognizable. Juvenile African hobbies exhibit a browner appearance with more pronounced streaks.

These birds are commonly found on the edges of moist woodlands, palm savannahs, and gallery forests across various regions of Africa. They are adept hunters, primarily preying on flying insects such as termites, grasshoppers, locusts, beetles, and cicadas. During the breeding season, their diet expands to include small birds. Although they typically hunt alone, they are occasionally observed in pairs or small family groups.

For nesting, African hobbies repurpose old stick nests constructed by other birds, with a preference for those made by black kites, and these nests are usually situated high in trees. Their breeding seasons vary by location: December to June in the western regions, August to December in equatorial East Africa, and September to January in southern Africa.

These birds are found in countries including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda, among others. They are known to have nomadic tendencies, migrating in response to food availability. The African hobby is a monotypic species within the subgenus Hypotriorchis, sharing characteristics with other hobbies.