![]() Their staple foods are small- to medium-sized birds, including larks, pipits, and house sparrows. Merlins, like all falcons, use speed and agillity to capture their prey. Though Merlin populations are currently stable, they still suffer losses from predation and collisions with powerlines or vehicles. One possible cause for this success has been the species' ability to move into urban habitats to hunt small birds at backyard bird feeders. For example, the species now nests regularly in New England, whereas before it only migrated through. Scientists recently documented that the breeding range of North American Merlins has expanded. Merlin populations have recovered over the decades since use of the chemical was banned and now are considered stable or increasing throughout most of their range. Like so many other raptor species, the Merlin suffered significant declines in the 1960s and 1970s due to the effects of the pesticide DDT. ![]() Merlins are migratory species and, though they normally roost solo, they may roost in small groups in winter. Females and juveniles have grayish to dark brown backs and buffy white with brownish spots on their undersides. Male Merlins have bluish to silvery gray backs and their breasts and flanks are buffy colored with heavy black-red-brown streaking. As is most raptor species, the female is larger than the male.įemale and male Merlins also differ in coloration. Though only a bit larger than the American Kestrel, the Merlin is much heavier and more robustly built. These falcons tend to avoid very dense forest. It also can be found in marshlands and river valleys. In the Eastern Hemisphere, they travel throughout Europe and some head to southeast Asia, including India, and northern Africa, including Tunisia.ĭuring breeding season, this cosmopolitan falcon is found mostly in open country, including taiga, plains, and prairies, but it also can be located at the edges of coniferous woodlands, wooded steppe, and occasionally in suburban habitats.ĭuring winter, it prefers open areas with scattered groups of trees, including parks and orchards. Individuals in the Western Hemisphere migrate south to the United States or head to sunny Caribbean islands, such as Cuba, the Bahamas or Hispaniola, or go further south into Central America and South America. In the winter, these birds really begin to move. The northern Eurasian population can be found from Scandinavia to Sibera, south to the British Isles, and east to northern China. ![]() During the breeding season, they range in North America from northwestern Alaska east through most of Canada to Newfoundland, and south to the northern United States, breeding in such states as Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Minnesota. ![]() These smallish falcons are quite the "world travelers." Though not as widely distributed as Peregrine Falcons or Osprey, Merlins can be found in many regions of the world. Studying the distribution of the Merlin would make anyone an expert in geography. We also supply literature to researchers from our avian research library, which helps scientists around the world gather and share important information on raptor conservation. The Peregrine Fund does not work directly with Merlins, but our efforts in scientific research, habitat conservation, education, and community development help conserve birds of prey around the world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |