Eurasian hobby or Peregrine? Monferrato, Italy - 09/06/24, 11 am (1 Viewer)

[Davide_Videvitt]

Hello everyone. Excuse the poor quality of the photos, taken with a mobile phone through binoculars but all freehand. Today late morning birding my girlfriend and I stumbled upon what to me seems like a hobby or peregrine. Unfortunately I only managed to photograph it when it was a few tens of metres away, but there was a moment, as soon as we saw it, when it was very close to us and with 8x binoculars we managed to get a very good look at it (an exciting encounter like few others). When I saw it up close, I could have sworn it was a peregrine: unfortunately, its back was turned to us at that moment, so we were only able to observe the plumage on its back, which appeared to me to be a beautiful, fairly uniform slate grey, without the cream patches that I think should be seen on the hobby's back at neck height.

Other elements, however, made me think it was a hobby. First of all, the size: it was the size of a pigeon, if not less, and seemed to me slimmer than a peregrine. Then the behaviour: I read that it is rare to see a peregrine resting on wires. This raptor, on the other hand, was not only there, but remained there for the entire time we stayed to observe it (over an hour) and only rarely left its perch, to make very short and low flights around it, perhaps to hunt some insect. During these short flights we were also able to observe the lower plumage: from too far away to say whether it was a hobby or a peregrine (although, again, from the colours I would lean towards the latter), but from close enough to, it seems to me, rule out any other species. What do you think?

 

[Southern Viking]

Looks like a Red-footed Falcon to me (2cy male probably as primaries look dark)

 

[Davide_Videvitt]

Looks like a Red-footed Falcon to me (2cy male probably as primaries look dark)

I thought of that too, but the chest was like that of the hobby or the peregrine and not grey like the red-footed falcon should be. Am I missing something?

 

[tconzemi]

Looks like a Red-footed Falcon to me (2cy male probably as primaries look dark)

Seems to be a good call, not a Peregrine for sure. But can we exclude an Eleonora's with such pictures?

 

[Davide_Videvitt]

Seems to be a good call, not a Peregrine for sure. But can we exclude an Eleonora's with such pictures?

Anything can be, but in this area it should not be present and judging by the wings it did not seem to be. If I can tomorrow I will try to go to the same spot, maybe it will be there again.

 

[rosbifs]

I thought of that too, but the chest was like that of the hobby or the peregrine and not grey like the red-footed falcon should be. Am I missing something?

There are very 'white' chested 2cy, spring, male Red Foots... One near Lourdes recently (Jacob might post photo)

 

[Davide_Videvitt]

There are very 'white' chested 2cy, spring, male Red Foots... One near Lourdes recently (Jacob might post photo)

I returned to the same spot and the falcon was there again. After a while he left, but I managed to observe him for a couple of minutes. It's almost certainly a red footed falcon (which had been my first option as soon as I saw it yesterday!): in fact the head is completely grey so you're right, it doesn't look like a hobby or a peregrine (the latter to be ruled out if only for the behaviour). Furthermore, I noticed that the beak was a vivid orange, much brighter than the yellow of the hobby or the peregrine. I confirm the clear chest, at this point it will be a 2cy male, as you say: thanks! A new lifer for me.