Species

Merlin

Falco columbarius

A small, fierce, dark falcon that hunts shorebirds and songbirds in fast, low chases in winter.

Photo Rhododendrites (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Predation

At a glance

Size: About 24 to 30 cm long
Weight: About 160 to 240 g
Habitat: Coasts, fields, towns and open woods in winter
Diet: Small birds, especially shorebirds and songbirds; dragonflies
In Georgia: An uncommon migrant and winter visitor, especially on the coast
Voice: A rapid, high "ki-ki-ki"
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Small, stocky, dark falcon; heavily streaked underparts; faint moustache; banded tail
Told apart from: American kestrel, which is paler with two face stripes and a rusty back
Told apart from: Peregrine falcon, which is much larger with a bold moustache
Where to look: Coastal marshes and beaches, chasing shorebirds

Behaviour

Merlins hunt with fast, direct flight, chasing birds low over the ground or water. They often hunt near flocks of shorebirds on the coast.

Why they matter

Merlins recovered after DDT was banned and now nest in cities in the north. They keep flocks of shorebirds and songbirds alert, and their powerful, direct flight is a thrill to see.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — An old crow's or hawk's nest in a tree, in the north
Eggs — Usually four or five
Incubation — About 28 to 32 days
Chicks — Fed by both parents
Flight — At about four to five weeks
Lifespan — Several years

Living around people

Merlins sometimes hunt songbirds at feeders in winter.

Misconceptions

A small falcon is always a kestrel. A dark, fast small falcon may be a merlin.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Wintering	Wintering	Leaving	Last migrants	Nesting in the north	Nesting	Chicks	Young flying	Migrants arriving	Peak migration on the coast	Wintering	Wintering

Where it lives

Recorded in 93 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

If you found one

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