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Dieren en planten

Birds of prey   Falcons   Kestrel   Merlin   Hobby   Peregrine   Crows   Magpie   Carrion crow   

Hobby

size:

28-35 centimeters
wingspan: 70-84 centimeters

color (adults):

slate gray back, streaked grey and white belly, white throat, orange-red 'trousers'

food:

insects such as dragonflies, small birds

threats:

buzzards, goshawks; decline in prey

Dutch status:

nesting bird

habitat

open countryside, lowlands with scattered woods, steppes

reproduction:

maturity: 2 years
number of eggs per nest: 2-4

life span:

unknown (maximum known age: + 14 years)

special nature:

hunts and eats preferably in flight

  • Dut: Boomvalk
  • Eng: Hobby
  • Ger: Baumfalke
  • Lat: Falco subuteo
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Hobby, foto fitis, sytske dijksen

Hobby

Hobbies are elegant birds with long pointed wings.They are true acrobats. They easily catch large insects in the air, which they then bring to their beak from their claws to eat. They nest in empyt nests made by crows and magpies in the woods.

On Texel


Three to five pairs of hobbies have been nesting on the island. In 2009, there were four pairs in the woods and one in polder Eierland.

  • Distribution and habitat

    Hobbies migrate in September to tropical Africa and usually return at the end of April. In the Netherlands, around 2000 pairs nest in woods, city parks or even trees along roads. They also nest on the Wadden Islands. The number of hobbies in the Netherlands is declining. The most likely cause is the decline in suitable nesting areas and fewer prey.

  • Protection
    • Monitoring: Network Ecological Monitoring, Red Lists
    • National legislation: Flora and Fauna Regulation
    • European Agreement: CITES ordinance
    • International: Bern Convention, Bonn Convention