The Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo), or just hobby, is a small, slim falcon. It belongs to a group of similar falcons often considered a subgenus of Falco.
Adults are slate-grey above with a dark crown and two short black moustache stripes. The throat is unstreaked white, the thighs and undertail coverts are unstreaked rufous and the rest of the underparts are whitish with black streaks. Close views enable the red "trousers" and vent to be seen. Sexes are similar. Juveniles are generally much browner, with scaled upper parts and streaked buffy thighs and undertail coverts.
The hobby has a distinct first-summer plumage.
This falcon is 29–36 cm (11–14 in) in length with a wingspan of 74–84 cm (29–33 in) and a weight of 175–285 g (6.2–10.1 oz).
This species breeds across the Palearctic realm. The subspecies F. s. subbuteo is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa. The subspecies F. s. streichi is mainly resident and does not migrate. It is a rare vagrant in North America, with extralimital records from Massachusetts, Washington, and Alaska in the United States, as well as in Newfoundland and British Columbia in Canada. It has also been sighted in Australia and Brazil.
