Guide to North American Birds
Family Falcons
Habitat In its native habitat, open wooded areas, woodland edges and fields. Prefers semi-open areas with sufficient trees or shrubs for perching. In North America, most often seen near coasts in summer.
A compact, fast-flying falcon, widespread in the Old World, the Eurasian Hobby has appeared in North America several times as a rare stray. Most records have been in Alaska, on the Aleutians and other islands and once on the mainland; it has also wandered to other parts of the continent, including the northwest (south to Washington) and the northeast (south to Massachusetts). Some of the Alaskan records have involved birds coming on board ships far out at sea. The Hobby is similar in behavior to our Merlin, often catching dragonflies or small birds in flight.

Photo Gallery

Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
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Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds

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Songs and Calls

Shrill scream keer-keer-keer
Audio © Lang Elliott, Bob McGuire, Kevin Colver, Martyn Stewart and others.
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