The Oriental hobby (Falco severus) is a species of falcon typically 27–30 cm long. It can be found locally in the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the north of the Indian subcontinent, across the eastern Himalayas, east across southern China and the Philippines, and southwards through Indochina to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands; its distribution is patchy, being absent from Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula, despite occurring both north and south of there. It has been recorded as a vagrant from Malaysia and southern India.

Taxonomy

It is a member of Falco subgenus Falco, the hobbies. In the past, two subspecies were accepted, F. s. severus in Asia and F. s. papuanus from Sulawesi to the Solomon Islands, but the latter is no longer considered distinct, with the species now treated as monotypic.

Identification

In southern Thailand

Adults are rich orange-red below, bluish-grey above with a black hood and pale throat. Juveniles have black streaks on its rufous chest and a mottled back. They do not exhibit sexual dimorphism. It differs from the Eurasian hobby in the wholly orange-red underparts (not just the legs and lower belly), and from the more similar Australian hobby in the more extensive black on the head with the black malar stripe merging into the black nape, without the white 'hook' behind the cheeks. Like the other hobbies, it has bright yellow legs, eye ring and cere.

Diet and habitats

The Oriental hobby feeds mainly on insects and birds, and has in rare instances been observed as catching bats. Its typical habitats are lowland forested areas and woodland. It nests in used nests of other birds, either in trees, on building ledges or on cliffs. Its breeding season is from May to August.

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