Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | Europese Boomvalk |
| Albanian | Skifteri i drurëve |
| Arabic | شويهين |
| Armenian | Արտույտաբազե |
| Asturian | Ferlamicu européu |
| Azerbaijani | Qaragöz qızılquş |
| Bangla (India) | বড় ধূতার |
| Basque | Zuhaitz-belatza |
| Bulgarian | Сокол орко |
| Catalan | falcó mostatxut europeu |
| Chinese | 燕隼 |
| Chinese (Hong Kong SAR China) | 燕隼 |
| Chinese (SIM) | 燕隼 |
| Croatian | sokol lastavičar |
| Czech | ostříž lesní |
| Danish | Lærkefalk |
| Dutch | Boomvalk |
| English | Eurasian Hobby |
| English (AVI) | Eurasian Hobby |
| English (United States) | Eurasian Hobby |
| Estonian | lõopistrik |
| Faroese | Vákasmyril |
| Finnish | nuolihaukka |
| French | Faucon hobereau |
| French (Canada) | Faucon hobereau |
| Galician | Falcón pequeno |
| Georgian | მარჯანი |
| German | Baumfalke |
| Greek | Δεντρογέρακο |
| Gujarati | ધોતી |
| Hebrew | בז עצים |
| Hungarian | Kabasólyom |
| Icelandic | Gunnfálki |
| Indonesian | Alap-alap walet |
| Italian | Lodolaio |
| Japanese | チゴハヤブサ |
| Kannada | ಚಾಣ |
| Kazakh | Жағалтай |
| Korean | 새호리기 |
| Kyrgyz | Жагалмай |
| Ladakhi | ཁྲ་བྲང་དཀར། |
| Latvian | Bezdelīgu piekūns |
| Lithuanian | Sketsakalis |
| Malayalam | വരയൻ പുള്ള് |
| Mongolian | Шууман шонхор |
| Nepali (India) | चिरान्तक बाज |
| Nepali (Nepal) | जुङ्गे चिरान्तक बाज |
| Norwegian | lerkefalk |
| Persian | لیل اوراسیایی |
| Polish | kobuz |
| Portuguese (Angola) | Ógea-euroasiática |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Ógea |
| Punjabi (India) | ਢੇਡੀ |
| Romanian | Șoimul rândunelelor |
| Russian | Чеглок |
| Serbian | Lastavičar |
| Slovak | sokol lastovičiar |
| Slovenian | Škrjančar |
| Spanish | Alcotán Europeo |
| Spanish (Spain) | Alcotán europeo |
| Swedish | lärkfalk |
| Thai | เหยี่ยวฮอบบี้ยุโรป |
| Turkish | Delice Doğan |
| Ukrainian | Підсоколик великий |
| Zulu | uklebosankonjane |
Revision Notes
Guy M. Kirwan updated the Systematics sections and made minor updates throughout the account. Peter Pyle contributed to the Plumages, Molts, and Bare Parts sections.Yoav Perlman wrote the Introduction.
Falco subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758
Definitions
- FALCO
- falco
- subbuteo
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Scientific name definitions
Version: 1.1 — Published June 18, 2025
Photos from this Account
Adult
Immature
Adult
Immature
Adult
Adult
Similar species: juvenile Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus).
Similar species: juvenile Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis).
Similar species: juvenile Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae).
Similar species: Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus).
Natal Down (subspecies subbuteo).
The first (neoptile) down is short and thick. the head and underparts are pale cream to whitish and the nape, remainder of the uppeprarts, and upperwings are grayish. In nestlings the bill and bare facial skin can be bluish.
Natal Down (subspecies subbuteo).
Whitish and grayish mesoptile down can cling to juvenile feathers in older nestlings. In nestlings the legs and feet can be tinged greenish.
Natal Down (subspecies subbuteo).
Whitish and grayish mesoptile down can cling to juvenile feathers in older nestlings.
Juvenile underwing coverts.
The underwing coverts in juveniles are brown, rufous, and grayish with buff fringes and spots.
Juvenile Plumage (subspecies unknown).
Fresh Juvenile Plumage is similar to Definitive Basic Plumage but has browner upperparts with narrow creamy fringes and tips to the scapulars and upperwing coverts, creating a scaly appearance. The underparts are washed or tinged yellowish buff and show thicker dark streaks on average.
Juvenile Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
The underparts are primarily buff to yellowish when fresh, with streaking averaging heavier than in Definitive Basic Plumage. The thighs, vent, and undertail coverts are not rufous as in adults but still more deeply colored than the remaining underparts.Juvenile primaries are rectrices are narrower and more pointed, tapered, or rounded (less squared) at the tips than basic feathers.
Juvenile Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
Note the brown upperparts with buff fringes to the feathers creating a scaly appearance. The distinct pale tips to the tail and trailing edge of the wing (lacking in Definitive Basic Plumage) are visible even from afar against a darker background. The juvenile remiges lack molt clines or suspension limits.
Formative Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
Formative Plumage is similar to Juvenile Plumage but can replace a few scattered to most or all upperpart and underpart body feathers which are often intermediate in shape and pattern between juvenile and definitive basic feathers, the upperpart feathers often dull slaty blue, as shown on the upper back of this bird; the brighter replaced scapulars could be fresher formative feathers or possible second basic feathers..
Formative Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
Note the replaced, dull slaty blue back feathers and scapulars. The browner and worn juvenile wing and tail feathers are retained and lack molt clines or suspension limits, the juvenile wing coverts still showing pale fringes. It may be possible that the central rectrices are formative.
Formative Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
Here a majority of back feathers have been replaced. Birds with more complete molt can resemble Definitive Basic Plumage except that browner and more worn juvenile wing and most to all tail feathers are retained.
Definitive basic underwing coverts.
Underwing coverts are pale buff to whitish with heavy and distinct dark barring.
Definitive Basic Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
Definitive Basic plumage is characterized by grayish to bluish upperparts the sides o f the head with a prominent dark moustachial stripe from the lores toward the throat an additional smaller dark stripe or dark corner extending into the buff from the back of the auriculars. remiges are dusky to blackish from above. Note here p4 has been replaced during incubation with molt suspended for chick feeding, resulting in a "suspension limit" not found in Juvenile or Formative Plumages.
Definitive Basic Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
The rust to the femoral feathers and lower underparts is brighter and deeper in Definitive Basic than in Juvenile Plumage. The darker (less bright bluish) upperparts and distinct streaking to the femoral feathers may indicate a female but sexing of individuals is not reliable by plumage alone.
Definitive Basic Plumage (subspecies subbuteo).
In addition to plumage differences, Definitive Basic Plumage can be separated from Juvenile and Formative Plumages by molt clines among the primaries, primary coverts, and secondaries, with more worn feathers centered on p4‒p5 and s5, becoming fresher both proximally and distally within each tract.
Commencing Second Prebasic Molt (subspecies subbuteo).
Prebasic molt of remiges commences with p4 (as here) or p5 and corresponding primary covert, and can suspend for migration. Molt will continue in bilateral sequence from this node. The uniformly juvenile, brown and worn unmolted remiges (without molt clines) indicates the Second Prebasic Molt. The upperpart feathers may be a mixture of older formative and newer second basic feathers; all feathers will be replaced during the Second Prebasic Molt.
Undergoing Second Prebasic Molt (subspecies subbuteo).
Her p5 has been replaced before p4 (which is dropped) and molt has proceeded to p6 (growing). The flight feathers are otherwise juvenile, worn, brown, and with narrow and pointed outer primaries and rectrices. Note that both brown juvenile and duller dusky formative feathers to the upperparts are being replaced by bluer second basic feathers.
Completing Second Prebasic Molt (subspecies subbuteo).
Here, p8-p10, p1-p2, s1-s2, and s8-s9 are brown, worn, and juvenile being replaced as the Second Prebasic Molt nears completion. Note also the juvenile outer rectrix yet to be molted, narrow, rounded at the tip, brown, and worn.
Undergoing Definitive Prebasic Molt (subspecies subbuteo).
Primaries and secondaries are each replaced both distally and proximally, from centers at p4‒p5 and s5, respectively; in other falcons nodal primary can be either p4 or p5, or both drop synchronously, whereas nodal secondary invariably is s5. Here molt has proceeded from p4 to p5 and from s5 to s6, the latter feather in each case growing, indicating a center at p4. Although unmolted feathers are worn and brown, they are also broad and truncate, indicating basic feathers and Definitive rather than Second Prebasic Molt.
Undergoing Definitive Prebasic Molt (subspecies subbuteo).
Here molt commenced at p5 with p6 new and p4 dropped; s5 and s6 are also new. Note the newer p1 than p2-p3, indicating a molt cline among unmolted feathers. This and the broad and truncate rectrices indicate that this is a Definitive Prebasic Molt.
Undergoing Definitive Prebasic Molt (subspecies subbuteo).
Here molt has reached p8 , p3, and s2. The unmolted remiges are broad and truncate, indicating basic feathers. Rectrices are also being replaced, generally distally from the central pair on each side of the tail.
Adult (subspecies subbuteo).
The bill is small, stout, curved, and sharp as typical of Falconidae for eating prey. In adults it is gray with a black tip and the cere, gape, and orbital skin (including bare triangular extension toward the lores) are bright greenish yellow to yellow.
Juvenile (subspecies subbuteo).
In nestlings the bill, cere, and gape can be mostly to entirely bluish and these colors can remain in juveniles through at least October or can begin changing to yellow as early as August. Note also the duller and greener legs and feet in this juvenile as compared to the brighter yellow color in most adults.
F. s. subbuteo standing
Definitive Basic plumage
F. s. subbuteo dorsal in-flight
Definitive Basic plumage
F. s. subbuteo ventral in-flight view
Definitive Basic plumage
F. s. streichi ventral in-flight view
Unknown age
F. s. streichi ventral in-flight view
Unknown age
F. s. streichi ventral in-flight view
Unknown age
Nest with chicks.
Nest with 3 eggs.
Clutch of three eggs.
Young at 2 days.
Young at ca. 10-15 days.
Young at ca. 20 days.
Young female at 27 days, in captivity.
Young male at 29 days, in captivity.
Young male at 29 days, in captivity.
Macaulay Library Photos for Eurasian Hobby
Top-rated photos submitted to the Macaulay Library via eBird. Note: Our content editors have not confirmed the species identification for these photos.
