<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='360921'>Merlin
Open Bird Bucket List ↗
En bref
- Scientific Name: Falco columbarius
- Spanish Name: Esmerejón
- Family: Falconidae
- Known Nicknames: Pigeon Hawk, Bullet Hawk
- Average Length: 24–33 cm / 9.4–13 in
- Average Weight: 125–300 g / 4.4–10.6 oz
- Wingspan: 50–73 cm / 20–29 in
- Key Feature: Compact, stocky falcon with broad chest and heavily streaked underparts
- Primary Diet: Primarily Carnivore (small birds, insects, mammals)
- Range: Northern Hemisphere (North America, Europe, Asia); winters south to Central America, North Africa, and India
- Habitat: Open woodlands, grasslands, moorlands, and coastal marshes
- Social Structure: Solitary (except during migration and breeding pairs)
- Nesting/Breeding: Tree nests (often old crow or hawk nests), cliff ledges, or ground scrapes
- Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
- Évolution démographique : Stable
The Merlin (*Falco columbarius*) is a small, fierce falcon, often described as a “pocket-sized predator” for its compact, muscular build and aggressive hunting style. Slightly larger than a kestrel but with a broader chest and shorter, pointed wings, its general appearance features a streaked, dark brown or slate-grey back in males, while females and juveniles are a warmer, browner hue, both with a heavily streaked pale chest. A unique characteristic is its exceptional low-level, high-speed pursuit of small birds, often hugging the terrain in a blur of motion, and it is notable for having no distinct facial markings (like a mustache) unlike many other falcons. A special feature is its rapid, powerful wingbeats that create a distinctive, almost un-falcon-like silhouette in flight, making it a formidable and thrilling hunter of open country and moorlands.
Faits amusants
Despite its small size, the Merlin is a fierce aerial acrobat, known for a quirky hunting technique called "tail-chasing" where it relentlessly pursues a single bird for up to an hour, often grabbing it mid-air with a backward somersault. Unlike most falcons, which rely on high-speed stoops (dives), Merlins are low-level "cruise missiles," hugging the ground and weaving through trees to ambush prey from below. They also have an unusual adaptation: their eyes contain a high density of cone cells, giving them superior color vision to spot camouflaged insects and small birds against complex backgrounds. In a bizarre twist, Merlin pairs have been observed "playing" with prey items, tossing them back and forth before eating, a behavior rarely seen in other raptors.
Habitats et répartition
The Merlin occupies a broad circumpolar breeding range across the northern latitudes of North America, Europe, and Asia, including Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Its breeding habitat is typically open or semi-open terrain, such as boreal forests, taiga, moorlands, and coastal heaths, where it nests on the ground or in old tree nests of other birds. During migration and winter, the species disperses southward, with populations in North America reaching as far as Central America and the Caribbean, while Eurasian birds move into southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East and South Asia. In winter, Merlins shift to more open environments like grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes, and coastal dunes, often favoring areas with abundant small birds, their primary prey.
Comportements & Reproduction
Merlins are generally solitary and territorial during the breeding season, with pairs forming a monogamous bond for at least one season. Courtship involves aerial displays by the male, including steep dives and sharp turns, and he may pass food to the female in mid-air. They do not build their own nests; instead, they typically reuse old corvid or hawk nests in trees or on cliffs, with the female selecting the site. The female lays 3-5 eggs and does most of the incubation, while the male provides food during this period and after hatching. A unique strategy is their reliance on abandoned nests, which reduces energy expenditure on construction, and the male's intense provisioning role, which helps the female remain on the eggs to protect them from predators and weather.
Alimentation
The Merlin (Falco columbarius) is an exclusively carnivorous bird of prey with a diet composed almost entirely of small to medium-sized birds, which it captures in high-speed, low-altitude pursuit flights. Interestingly, its menu is heavily influenced by seasonal availability and migration patterns; during summer, it primarily hunts small songbirds like sparrows, finches, and pipits, while in winter it often shifts to larger prey such as robins, blackbirds, and even shorebirds or waterfowl in coastal areas. Unlike many other falcons, the Merlin rarely eats insects or carrion, and it is known for a unique hunting strategy called "tail-chasing," where it will relentlessly pursue a single bird for extended distances, often causing the prey to exhaust itself before striking. This falcon also demonstrates a remarkable dietary adaptability, sometimes specializing on a single abundant species, such as the Horned Lark in some regions, and it has been observed caching excess kills in trees or on the ground for later consumption.
Couleurs
The Merlin displays sexual dimorphism: males have slate-blue upperparts with a dark tail band, while females and juveniles are brownish above with buff streaking below. Both sexes show a pale supercilium and a distinctive dark mustachial stripe. The underparts are heavily streaked, with males having a rufous wash on the breast and belly. Their mottled, streaked plumage provides effective camouflage against tree bark and rocky terrain.
Distribution Map
Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.
