About Falco severus Horsfield, 1821
This species is Falco severus Horsfield, 1821. For identification, adult individuals are rich orange-red on their underparts, and bluish-grey on their upperparts, with a black hood and a pale throat. Juveniles have black streaks across their rufous chest and a mottled back. This species does not show sexual dimorphism. It can be distinguished from the Eurasian hobby by having fully orange-red underparts, rather than only orange-red legs and lower belly. It differs from the more closely related Australian hobby by having more extensive black coloration on the head: the black malar stripe merges into the black nape, and there is no white 'hook' behind the cheeks. Like other hobby falcons, Falco severus has bright yellow legs, eye ring, and cere.
