- Lifespan
- 12–15 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 28–35 cm, wingspan 65–75 cm; 130–240 g (females larger than males)
- Habitat
- Open and semi-open landscapes including heathland, moorland, farmland, and coastal areas, often near water or woodland edges.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor to southern and central England, Wales, and southern Scotland from May to September; passage migrant in spring and autumn; rare in winter.
- Diet
- Specialist aerial predator feeding almost exclusively on small birds caught in flight, particularly hirundines (swallows and martins), warblers, and pipits.
- Prey
- Barn swallows, house martins, sand martins, willow warblers, spotted flycatchers, tree pipits, and other small passerines (20–40 g).
- Predators
- Golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and goshawks occasionally take hobbies; eggs and chicks vulnerable to corvids and other raptors.
- Mating Season
- May to August
- Breeding
- Clutch of 2–3 eggs; incubation period 28–30 days; fledging period 25–35 days; typically one brood per year; often uses old crow or pigeon nests.
- Behaviour
- Highly agile and acrobatic flier with distinctive silhouette—pointed wings and short tail giving a 'giant swift' appearance. Hunts by stooping from height or pursuing prey with rapid, twisting flight. Solitary or in pairs during breeding; often seen perching on dead trees or posts between hunts.