Merlin
Merlin Information
Length: 10 - 14"
Habitat: In the Northeast, breeds in coniferous forests near open country, along forest edges, and occasionally in urban areas. Winters mainly along the coast.
Diet: Mostly small birds; some small mammals such as mice, squirrels, and bats; large insects, snakes, lizards.
Calls of the Merlin
Additional Information
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Information on the habitat, diet, feeding behavior, nesting, migration and conservation status of this falcon. Includes range map, photos, and the calls of this bird. (From Audubon Field Guide)
Female or Immature Merlin
Photo by Cephas [CC-BY-SA-3.0]
Merlin
Identification Tips
- Wingspan: 23 inches
- Short, dark, hooked beak
- Small, long-tailed hawk
- Long, pointed wings, broad at the base
- Thin, pale black mustache mark
- Underwings checkered with black and white
- Juveniles and immature females like adult female
- Three distinct races occur in North America
Taiga Merlin (F. c. columbarius)
- Breeds in northern Canadian boreal forests from Newfoundland to Alaska and winters in the southern United States; migrants occur frequently along both coasts but are rare inland
- Flight feathers dark above
- Faint dark mustache mark
- Dark blue-gray back, paler than suckleyi but darker than richardsoni
- Dark tail has wide, complete, blue-gray bands
- Dark, brownish back
- Brown tail has narrow, complete buffy bands
(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)
Merlin
Breeding Bird Survey Map,
2011-2015
(Image credit: USGS)
Merlin
Range Maps from Cornell
Merlin breeding, migration, nonbreeding and year-round range
Includes separate map of sightings.
Merlin Christmas Bird Count Map
Historical CBC Map from USGS