African Hobby in Uganda (“Falco cuvierii”)

What to know about the African hobby – Uganda?

The African Hobby in Uganda is one of the African Uganda Birds seen during Birding Tours. The African hobby is a small species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It has length 26–31 cm; male weighs 125–178 g, female 186–224 g and wingspan 60–73 cm.

How Does the African Hobby in – Uganda Look Like?

The African hobby is a small, dark falcon with a slim body and long wings, which reach to the end of the tail when the bird is perched.

The throat, chest and underparts are a rich chestnut color, finely streaked with black, and the back, wings and tail are dark grey to slate black.

The chestnut-buff cheeks are marked with a distinctive black moustache, the eyes are dark brown, surrounded by a ring of yellow skin, and the cere and the legs are yellow.

The female African hobby is slightly larger than the male, while juveniles are distinguished by having duller upperparts, edged in brown, and more heavily streaked underparts.

How Does the African Hobby in Kampala City-Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Generally silent when not around nest, however “kee-kee-kee…”, can be heard when frightened.

How Does the African Hobby in – Uganda Feed?

Hunts for small birds, bats, and insects on the wing, particularly at dawn and dusk and usually in open clearings or over waterholes.

Courses back and forth over good hunting areas, or make fast sorties from a prominent perch. Often joins flocks of European Hobbies and other raptors feeding at alate termite emergences.

Insect prey includes cicadas, grasshoppers, crickets, and mantises.

How Does the African Hobby in Uganda Nest?

Like other falcons, the African hobby does not build its own nest, but instead takes over the nests of other species, such as crows, often evicting the original owners. Old Wahlberg’s Eagle and Yellow-billed Kite nests are also being used.