Australian Hobby

1. Black facial mask with pale forehead and partial collar

2. Dark grey wings and back, with brown or rufous streaked underparts

3. Long, pointed wings and rapid, agile flight

Australian Hobbies are skilled hunters, catching small birds, large insects, and occasionally bats in flight. They often hunt at dawn, dusk, and sometimes at night around artificial lights, taking advantage of insect swarms and small bird activity. Rather than building their own nests, they reuse old stick nests built by other birds, especially crows, often high in trees or on man-made structures. Breeding usually occurs between August and January, with both parents involved in raising the young. The species is known for its territorial and sometimes aggressive behaviour during the breeding season.

Australian Hobbies are widespread across mainland Australia, with a limited range in Tasmania and records from nearby islands such as Lord Howe Island and parts of Indonesia and New Guinea. They inhabit open woodlands, forest edges, savannas, farmland, and increasingly, urban areas and city parks. Look for them perched in prominent spots-dead branches, powerlines, or tall structures-especially near areas where small birds gather. Dawn and dusk are the best times to observe their hunting flights.