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Merlin (Falco columbarius) — photo 1 of 5
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Falcons

Merlin

Falco columbarius

Year-round

Voice

Call

Jonathon Jongsma

0:33

Call

Jonathon Jongsma

0:05

How to recognize it

  • Small, stocky falcon; short pointed wings, long tail

  • Male blue-gray above, buff to rufous below with dark streaking

  • Tail barred, with a dark terminal band and thin pale tip

  • Fast, agile flight; often hunts low over open ground

About the species

Merlin is a small, sturdy falcon with a fast, agile way of flying. In the city, it stands out less by size than by its sharp movements and alert, tightly focused manner.

It is usually quiet and not very social, but when disturbed it gives a short, sharp call. It hunts low over the ground, can take prey in the air, and a pair may work together, driving prey toward each other.

It favors open places with shrubs, scattered trees, marsh edges, steppe, and woodland edges, while avoiding dense forest. It mostly eats small songbirds, but also takes rodents, lizards, and insects; in most places it is migratory, though some populations stay year-round.

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Sources