Male merlin
Photo by Matt Solensky
COMMON NAME: Merlin
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Falco columbarius
IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS:
Slightly larger than kestrels, merlins appear uniformly dark in the field.
Males are brighter than females, with slate blue wings and back, dark head,
and dull facial markings. The underside is rufous with dark streaks. The
tail is slate gray with a dark terminal band. Females are uniformly brown
with light,
brown streaked undersides. Immatures resemble the female.
RANGE:
Merlins are found worldwide, breeding in the northern latitudes and migrating
south into Mexico and South America, the Mediterranean, the Middle East,
and southern China.
HABITAT:
Nests are found in forests or scrublands that are broken up by open areas
in which to hunt. In Minnesota they are generally found in the northern
forested
part of the state. Urban nesting merlins have started appearing in the prairie
provinces of Canada, most notably in Edmonton and Saskatoon. In recent years,
merlins started nesting in Duluth, Minn., where up to five pairs have been
reported. In 2000, TRC biologist Matt Solensky reported two successful nestings
by merlins in Minneapolis, Minn.
NESTING:
Like other falcons, merlins do not build their own nests, but instead use
the old stick nests of crows or magpies. Up to five eggs may be laid and
incubated
by the female. The young remain together after fledging and may migrate south
together.
FEEDING HABITS:
Merlins feed primarily on small to medium-size birds, but will take insects,
rodents, and small lizards. They have been known to take birds as large as
pigeons but more often they take small passerines or shorebirds weighing
less than 50 grams.
RAPTOR CENTER DATA:
As the Minnesota breeding population grows, we see more merlins admitted
to the clinic every year, most often with traumatic injuries.
CONSERVATION STATUS:
The merlin is not afforded any special status.
Other Web Resources:
Teacher Lesson Plans
Snowy Owl Range
Minnesota Ornithologists' Union bird range map
Additional Information (not specifically about falcons):
Publications
