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6

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) Alternate name(s): "Little Falcon", "White-fronted Falcon"; misnomer: "Duck-hawk*" Aboriginal name(s): "wowo", "ngowerngo" Size: 30-32 cm (male), 34-35.5 cm (female); wing span 65-85 cm Weight: 150-365 g

Australia: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Osprey Brahminy Kite Whistling Kite Little Eagle Black Kite Square-tailed Kite Black-breasted Buzzard Wedge-tailed Eagle White-bellied Sea-Eagle Spotted Harrier Swamp Harrier Black-shouldered Kite Letter-winged Kite Pacific Baza Collared Sparrowhawk Brown Goshawk Grey Goshawk Red Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Australian Hobby Peregrine Falcon Brown Falcon Grey Falcon Black Falcon Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Australian Hobbies are small raptors. They have a grey cap, black eye/cheek patch, white half-collar and a brown, faintly streaked front. The upperwings are grey, with dark-grey wingtips. The tail is barred grey. The bill is grey, while legs and feet are yellow. The underwing pattern shows brown coverts, grey flight feathers, with dark-grey tips of the primaries. Females have dark streaks on their upper chest and dark barring down the front. They are also larger than males. Race "murchisonianus" is paler than nominate race "longipennis". Juvenile Australian Hobbies have a brown cap and brown edges to the feathers on the upperwings. The front is streaked. "Raptors" (or "birds of prey"), most prominently, but also some species of waders, show a pronounced "dimorphism", i.e. a difference between male and female birds - not just in the appearance of the plumage, but in other, important properties, such as size or strength. Here we explain why. Twitcher's tip Compared to Peregrine Falcons the contrast between dark and light feathers (in both the facial pattern and general appearance) is less pronounced in Australian Hobbies.

Taxonomy, classification See Australian Hobby at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Australian Hobby is available HERE . The range of the Australian Hobby encompasses eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia. Australian Hobbies inhabit the entire Australian continent, except the south-western corner of Tasmania. Staying mostly in the south-eastern quarter of the continent during their breeding season, outside the breeding season they venture into the other parts of the continent and, when there is prey, occasionally even the most arid parts of the interior. There are now two recognized races. Nominate race "longipennis". inhabits the eastern states (most of QLD, except the far West; NSW, VIC and south-eastern SA, plus most of TAS) and the south-western corner of WA. Everywhere else race "murchisonianus" is found. Australian Hobbies hunt in various types of habitat, from open woodland to semi-arid and arid environments with little vegetation, such as e.g. gibber plains. They have also been seen by us in urban environments.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "longipennis" During the winter of 2005 a juvenile Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", appeared at our place, 20 km South of Narrabri. Australian Hobbies, race "longipennis", were spotted again in April and July 2007 at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri. Not seen again there until April 2009. Two Australian Hobbies were seen at the same location in March 2011 and a solitary bird in December 2011. In general, Australian Hobbies are observed much less frequently Eulah Creek (not far from Mt. Kaputar NP) than 20 km South of Narrabri, (on the edge of the Pilliga scrub). There is at least one resident Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", in the township of Narrabri, NSW. This bird can occasionally be seen around Narrabri Lake. They are routinely observed by us and our contributors in various locations around inland NSW. Australian Hobbies, race "longipennis", were also observed by us in different locations on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia, in March 2008. Seen near Walgett, NSW, in April 2009. R. Plumtreereports spotting Australian Hobbies, race "longipennis", occasionally in the area of Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC. In August 2015 we spotted an Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range, at Watson's Bay, NSW. M. Mearns reports spotting an Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", at Lake Wugu Nagu (Nuga Nuga) NP, near Rolleston, QLD, in April 2013, and another along the Bedourie to Boulia Highway, QLD, in September 2019. M. Eaton reports sighting an Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", at Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, in April 2018. Australian Hobbies were also found by M. Eaton at Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, in June 2020. Another was found between Windorah and Bedourie, QLD, in August 2022. D. Dyer reports a pair of Australian Hobbies, race "longipennis", nesting at Cervantes, WA, in the 2018 breeding season, with a bird fledging in November 2018. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours spotted an Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", at Tolga, QLD, in September 2019. C. Pears found an Australian Hobby, race "longipennis", at Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, in March 2022, and another at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, in July 2022. Race "murchisonianus" J. Greaves reports finding an Australian Hobby, race "murchisonianus", at Ivanhoe Crossing, Kununurra, WA, in January 2016. M. Mearns reports spotting an Australian Hobby, race "murchisonianus", along the Bedourie to Boulia Highway, QLD, in September 2019. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours found an Australian Hobby, race "murchisonianus", at Adels Grove, near Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, in December 2020. P. Brown reports sighting an Australian Hobby, race "murchisonianus", at Mandorah, NT, in June 2018, and in Nakara, Darwin, NT, in May 2021.

Photos

Race "longipennis"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of an Australian Hobby - the absence/sparcity of dark streaking/barring on the front suggests that this is a male
[February 2009]

Lateral view of a male Australian Hobby - note the absence of dark streaking and barring on its front; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 11 November 2019
[Eulah Creek, Narrabri, NSW, November 2019]

Male(?) Australian Hobby in flight, seen from underneath
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2013]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a resting female Australian Hobby - note the dark streaking and barring
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Between Windorah and Bedourie, QLD, August 2022]

Frontal/ventral view of a resting female Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Tolga, QLD, September 2019]

Frontal/ventral view of a female Australian Hobby perched in a flowering ironbark eucalypt - note the dark streaking and barring
[Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, July 2014]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a female Australian Hobby perched in a flowering ironbark eucalypt
[Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, July 2014]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a female Australian Hobby perched in a flowering ironbark eucalypt
[Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, July 2014]

Lateral view of a female Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2018]

Lateral view of a female Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Near Tooraweenah, NSW, June 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kilcowera Station, between Thargomindah and Hungerford, QLD, June 2020]

Dorsal view of a resting female Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Between Windorah and Bedourie, QLD, August 2022]

Sex unknown

Lateral view of an Australian Hobby defending its perch against a somewhat perplexed-looking Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2016]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of two Australian Hobbies high up in a treetop
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

Australian Hobby diving off its perch towards the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2016]

Lateral view of an Australian Hobby in flight (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2015]

Lateral view of an Australian Hobby struggling to gain altitude (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2015]

Lateral/ventral view of an Australian Hobby in flight (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Eagleby Wetlands, near Brisbane, QLD, November 2020]

Dorsal view of an Australian Hobby in flight
[Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, July 2014]

Dorsal view of an Australian Hobby being hustled by a combative Galah (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2015]

Partly obscured, here an Australian Hobby seen landing
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Full-frontal view of a juvenile Australian Hobby; note the characteristic light blue-grey cere and eye-rings
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2018]

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 23 April 2015
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2015]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, May 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, May 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of an immature Australian Hobby; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 24 June 2020
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, May 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, May 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Hobby with ruffled plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, May 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lake Wugu Nugu (Nuga Nuga) NP, near Rolleston, QLD , April 2013]

Two dependent juvenile Australian Hobbies being mobbed by a male Galah (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, December 2018]

Juvenile Australian Hobby in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2011]

Near-frontal view of a fledgling Australian Hobby on its first day out of the nest; note the broad rufous fringes
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2018]

Dorsal view of a fledgling Australian Hobby on its first day out of the nest; note the broad rufous fringes
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2018]

Race "murchisonianus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Dorsal view of an Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Adels Grove, near Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, December 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nakara, Darwin, NT, May 2021]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Mandorah, NT, June 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Mandorah, NT, June 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nakara, Darwin, NT, May 2021]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Nov

Eggs: 2 - 4

Incubation period: ca. 30(?) days

Fledging age: 35 - 38 days

The breeding season of Australian Hobbies depends on geographical latitude. In the northern tropics they can breed between July and November, while in the southern half of the continent, their core breeding season is as stated in the table above (breeding in August and December can also occur).

Nest building: N/A

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

Like many falcon species, Australian Hobbies usually re-use a nest by another species, i.e. either another raptor or a corvid (raven or crow).

The male does all the hunting while the female incubates and for a week or more after hatching. Only when he has delivered food and she is feeding nearby, the male will incubate.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket (re-used)

Material: Sticks

Height above ground: 10 - 20 m

Usually a nest in the upper canopy of a live tree is chosen.

Australian Hobby chick stretching its wings (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2020]

Australian Hobby feeding one of two chicks (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2020]

Australian Hobby nest high up in the canopy of a live eucalypt (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Coonamble, NSW, October 2016]

Here one of the owners of the Australian Hobby nest, who is obscured in the photo above (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Coonamble, NSW, October 2016]

Australian Hobby nest high up in the canopy of a live eucalypt (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2018]

Australian Hobby near its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2018]

Australian Hobby looking on while having its nest inspected by a pair of Galahs (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, July 2020]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 44 x 33 mm

Colour: Greyish, with copious rufous/brown small speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Observing a family of Australian Hobbies at Narrabri Lake, we noticed how very demanding the young are. They meet their parents in the air near the tree with the nesting hollow to "intercept" them when delivering food. This is accompanied by with raucous calls, both in the air and when landing.

A juvenile bird observed by us in 2005 was still practicing its skills. When hunting a Red-rumped Parrot, it forgot to flap its wings to maintain airlift, which led to a sudden drop in altitude, right into a bucket standing next to our chook pen. With its wingtips sticking out of the bucket, the bird had to topple the bucket first before getting out again. Displayed above are happier times, when it was sitting on our power line.

Falcons, including Australian Hobbies, often hunt from vantage points, diving down a hill slope to accelerate; in this photo the raptor is hardly visible, right at the top of the dead tree on the hill crest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2013]

Additional information

There is a separate page on two Australian Hobbies hunting from a treetop and being hustled by other bird species.

Food, Diet

Adults: Birds, bats, insects

Dependents: As adults

Water intake: None

All raptors are carnivores. Australian Hobbies prey on smaller birds, which they take in flight.

During the first few weeks, raptors feed their chicks with pieces of meat. Later on in their development, the chicks learn to tear apart their parents' prey.

Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Hobby with its prey, a Bar-shouldered Dove (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nakara, Darwin, NT, May 2021]

This Australian Hobby has caught a Welcome Swallow (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, October 2020]

Australian Hobby plucking its prey, a Welcome Swallow (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, October 2020]

Welcome Swallow ready to be served to an Australian Hobby's chick (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, October 2020]

Australian Hobby bringing food for its chick; this pair, on the West coast of WA, was observed to bring not only birds, but also fish (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2018]

Juvenile Australian Hobby devouring its meal (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2018]

This dead Silvereye was found abandoned under an Australian Hobby nest (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2018]

Another species preyed upon by Australian Hobbies is the Red-capped Plover (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2020]

Fur balls under an Australian Hobby nest (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2018]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

ozhobby_20191111.m4a	(NW NSW)	Male (hunting)	© MD
ozhobby_20191111_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Male (hunting)	© MD
ozhobby_20200624.m4a	(NW NSW)	Annoyed (juvenile)	© MD
ozhobby_20150423_1.mp3	(NW NSW)	Annoyed (juvenile)	© MD
ozhobby_20150423_2.mp3	(NW NSW)	? (juvenile)	© MD

More Australian Hobby sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Fri, 2 September 2022, 2:38 +00:00