Australian Hobby

Australian Hobby

Falco longipennis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Cape Range
12 Verified sightings at Cape Range From 2019 to 2026
439 Verified sightings across all 18 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Australian Hobby

The Australian hobby (Falco longipennis), also known as the little falcon, is one of six Australian members of the family Falconidae. This predominantly diurnal bird of prey derives its name 'longipennis' from its long primary wing feathers. It occurs throughout Australia and other neighbouring countries with migrating individuals found on the islands of Indonesia and New Guinea.

The Australian hobby is a member of the family Falconidae and the order Falconiformes. Five major clades have been established in the genus Falco. These include kestrels, merlins, hobbies, hierofalcons and peregrines. Hobbies are somewhat removed from these groups but are still a component of a more inclusive clade.

Three subspecies of Australian hobby are usually recognised. These are: Falco longipennis longipennis, (Swainson, 1838) Falco longipennis hanieli (Hellmayr, 1914) being slightly smaller and paler below than F. l. longipennis

Falco longipennis murchisonianus (Mathews, 1912) is paler blue-grey above with a dull blackish head, and paler reddish-brown below with less distinct markings. Of the hobbies in existence including the African hobby (Falco cuvierii) and the Oriental hobby... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Cape Range

Australian Kestrel
LC

Australian Kestrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco cenchroides

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Brown Falcon
LC

Brown Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco berigora

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Peregrine Falcon
LC

Peregrine Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco peregrinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
4 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
5 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
6 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
7 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
8 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
9 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
10 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
11 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
12 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
13 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
14 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
15 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
16 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
17 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
18 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Australian Hobby in Cape Range?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Australian Hobby sighting in Cape Range, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Australian Hobby in Cape Range?

June has the highest sighting rate for Australian Hobby in Cape Range in our monthly data.

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