Merlin, which has the scientific name Falco Columbarius, is another falcon species from the Northern Hemisphere.
It has countless subspecies across Eurasia and North America, and they are usually small in number.
Merlin is a raptor once known conversationally in North America as a pigeon hawk.
Its breeding zone is in the Northern Holarctic; some even travel to northern tropical and subtropical zones during winter.
The males’ wings range from 21 to 23 inches, whereas the females are fairly large.
In flight, Merlin is very quick and hunts with great dexterity. Their common prey is mostly small birds like sorrow, quail, etc. Merlin has been seen as a falconry bird for centuries now.
For decades now, in North America, the population of Merlin has experienced a significant increase, leading some Merlins to abandon their migration and adapt to city life.
Scientific Classification
- Scientific Name: Falco Columbarius
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Falconiformes
- Family: Falconidae
- Genus: Falco
- Species: F. columbarius
Description
Merlin is 9.4-13.0 inches long, with a wingspan measuring 20-29 inches. Merlin is more strongly built, as compared to other small falcons.
The average weight of the males and females is 0.165kg and 0.23kg, respectively. However, there is a moderate disparity across the range of Merlin over a year, especially in migratory populations.
The weight of adult male Merlin is estimated to be between 0 21 and 0.125kg, whereas the larger females weigh up to 0.19 kg-0.3 kg.
The wings measure 7.2-9.4 inches each, the tail length is about 5.0-7.3 inches, and the tarsus is about 1.5 inches. This kind of dimorphism in the sexes of birds of prey is usually common, allowing both the males and the females to hunt various prey and reduce the size of the territory required to feed a mated pair.
The back of the male Merlin is mixed with blue and grey colors. Merlin’s belly is tinted or polished with orange. The female Merlin and those not yet mature are brownish greys with a whitish polish with brown spots underneath.
Aside from a weak whitish supercilium, the faint dark malar streak is hardly recognizable in the darkest birds and the palest of birds.
American males, which are light, look like the American kestrel, though the back and tail of male Merlin are colored greys, unlike the reddish-brown of the kestrel.
Light European males can be differentiated from kestrels through their wings, which have brown as the main color.
Ecology
Merlins dwell in countries such as birch scrub, shrubland, and taiga forest. They don’t have a specific habitat and can be located at sea level and sometimes on treeline.
They generally prefer low or medium-height vegetation, with some trees. They usually make use of virtually any habitat.
Most of Merlin’s population migrates from one region to another. Those from northern Europe migrate to Southern Europe and North Africa.
The Merlins begin to migrate to their breeding grounds during the fall of February, most of them migrating through the United States, southern Russia, and Central Europe in March and April.
Speed and agility are Merlins’ main weapons during their prey hunt. They usually hunted by flying fast and low, less than 3.3ft above the ground. It captures its prey by surprise using large shrubs and trees. Most of the merlin’s prey is captured in the air.
Merlins have also been observed to chase after trains and automobiles and also to prey on birds that have been captured by those trapped by ornithologists.
Reproduction
Typical breeding in Merlin takes place in May/June. Merlin is not known to make a good nest for themselves; they usually use deserted corvid or those belonging to hawks, which are always built on coniferous tree stands.
Particularly in moorland, in the UK, the female mostly builds a shallow scrape in heavy Heather to use as a nest.
Merlin eggs are usually rusty brown and about 1.57×1.24 inches in size.
The incubation lasts about 28-32 days, performed to about 90% by the mother. Fledgling weighs about 0.013kg.