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Falco columbarius

Linnaeus, 1758

Merlin

G5Secure Found in 112 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105574
Element CodeABNKD06030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderFalconiformes
FamilyFalconidae
GenusFalco
Other Common Names
Esmerilhão (PT) Faucon émerillon (FR) Halcón Esmerejón (ES) merlin (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
See Olsen et al. (1989) for a study of relationships within the genus Falco based on electrophoretic patterns of feather proteins.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-07
Change Date1996-11-22
Edition Date1994-12-27
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Widespread (Holarctic) distribution; increasing population trends in areas formerly negatively impacted by pesticide pollution; still threatened in some areas by habitat loss; organochlorine use in Central and South America poses a threat.
Range Extent Comments
Holarctic distribution. BREEDS: from northward tree limit in Alaska, Canada, and Eurasia southward to southern Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, South Dakota, northern Great Lakes region, New York, Maine, Nova Scotia, British Isles, and central Russia. NORTHERN WINTER: southern British Columbia and western and southern U.S. south to Venezuela and Peru, and in Europe, extreme northern Africa, and China. Holarctic distribution.
Threat Impact Comments
Pesticides contributed to a decline, particularly in Europe, in productivity recorded in a 20-year period prior to the early 1970s (Trimble 1974). Primary threats include habitat loss and continued use of organochlorine biocides in Central and South America.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A small falcon with pointed wings, a strongly barred tail, a hooked bill, and heavy streaking below; upperparts are gray-blue in males, dark brown in females; overall, plumage is much darker in the Pacific Northwest than in central Canada and the Midwest; average length 31 cm, wingspan 64 cm (NGS 1983).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Differs from American kestrel, prairie falcon, and peregrine falcon in lacking a strong facial pattern. Differs from kestrel also in lacking russet back and tail. Only about half as big as a gyrfalcon (average length 31 cm vs. 51-64 cm).

Habitat

NONBREEDING: a wide variety of habitats including marshes, deserts, seacoasts, near coastal lakes and lagoons, open woodlands, fields, etc. May roost in conifers in winter.

BREEDING: In southeastern Montana, breeding males appeared to prefer patchy shrub/grassland habitats for hunting (Becker and Sieg 1987). Urban-breeding Merlins in Saskatchewan avoided hunting in agricultural areas where prey abundance was low (Sodhi and Oliphant 1992).

Nests in conifer woodland or wooded prairie (e.g., groves of deciduous trees along rivers), including planted shelterbelts; often near water; in towns in some areas (e.g. Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan). Nests in trees in abandoned crow, magpie, hawk, or squirrel nest; also in natural tree cavity or abandoned woodpecker hole, on bare cliff ledge, or scrape on ground (arctic, heather moor of U.K.). Not infrequently returns to same nesting area in successive years.

Ecology

At Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, breeding density was 25.4 pairs/100 sq km, the highest recorded for this species (Sodhi et al. 1992). Hunting range sizes (May-July) in Saskatoon varied from about 2-14 sq km (average 6-7 sq km) in residents to 0.6-64 sq km (average 9 sq km in females, 34 sq km in males) in immigrants; neighboring hunting ranges overlapped by 0-77% (Sodhi and Oliphant 1992).

In Montana, nestling-period home range of 3 telemetered males was 13-28 sq km; moved up to 8-9 km from nest site (Becker and Sieg 1985).

Reproduction

Laying generally is completed in southeastern Montana by May 20, which is the peak date in Saskatchewan, where clutches were initiated between mid-April and late May (Sodhi et al. 1992); clutches were completed by late May in Denali Park, Alaska. Clutch size is 2-7 (average 3-5). Incubation, primarily by the female, lasts 31-32 days (male brings food). Young fledge in 25-35 days, remain dependent on parents for food 2-5 more weeks (young remained in vicinity of nest 7-19 days after fledging in southeastern Montana, Becker and Sieg 1985). First breeds at 1-2 years (occasionally 1 year). Yearling male may help nesting pair (James and Oliphant 1986). See Sodhi et al. (1992) for information on an expanding Saskatchewan population characterized by very high reproductive success.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSavannaGrassland/herbaceousDesertCliffCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN4B,N4N
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS4NYes
NebraskaS1Yes
TennesseeS3NYes
ArkansasSNAYes
MinnesotaSNRB,SNRNYes
IndianaS1NYes
AlabamaSNRNYes
AlaskaS5B,S4NYes
MaineS3BYes
IowaSXBYes
GeorgiaS3Yes
LouisianaS4NYes
New YorkS3BYes
VirginiaSNAYes
KentuckySNAYes
DelawareS2NYes
TexasS3NYes
FloridaS2Yes
MontanaS5Yes
WashingtonS3B,S4NYes
WisconsinS3B,S2NYes
UtahSHB,S2NYes
CaliforniaS3Yes
ColoradoSHB,S4NYes
IdahoS4Yes
North DakotaS2Yes
VermontS2BYes
OhioSXYes
MichiganS3Yes
New JerseyS4NYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
ArizonaS4NYes
New MexicoS4NYes
MissouriSNAYes
OklahomaSNRNYes
MarylandS1NYes
IllinoisSNRBYes
WyomingS4B,S4NYes
PennsylvaniaS3BYes
South CarolinaS3Yes
ConnecticutSNAYes
MassachusettsS4BYes
West VirginiaS1B,S3NYes
Navajo NationS4NYes
North CarolinaS3NYes
New HampshireS3BYes
South DakotaS2B,SNRNYes
MississippiS4NYes
OregonSHB,S4NYes
KansasSNAYes
District of ColumbiaS1NYes
CanadaN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS5Yes
LabradorS5BYes
OntarioS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS4B,SUMYes
ManitobaS5B,S2NYes
Prince Edward IslandS4BYes
NunavutSUBYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
SaskatchewanS5B,S5NYes
QuebecS5BYes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5BYes
New BrunswickS5BYes
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
Roadless Areas (112)
Alaska (27)
AreaForestAcres
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Brabazon AdditionTongass National Forest498,819
ChichagofTongass National Forest555,858
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
Freshwater BayTongass National Forest44,933
Game CreekTongass National Forest54,469
GravinaTongass National Forest37,381
HyderTongass National Forest121,723
Johnson PassChugach National Forest152,508
KartaTongass National Forest52,117
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North RevillaTongass National Forest215,430
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
RevillaTongass National Forest29,298
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
Tenakee RidgeTongass National Forest20,527
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Arizona (3)
AreaForestAcres
MuldoonPrescott National Forest5,821
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
Red PointKaibab National Forest7,139
California (19)
AreaForestAcres
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Middle ForkPlumas National Forest29,278
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
SoldierModoc National Forest10,102
Ukonom CreekKlamath National Forest4,621
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long ParkRoutt NF42,100
Florida (1)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
HoodooNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest153,868
PalisadesCaribou-Targhee National Forest122,002
Minnesota (3)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Montana (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Bmss Ra 1485Flathead National Forest334,275
BridgerGallatin National Forest45,059
Buckhorn Ridge (MT)Kootenai National Forest34,716
Cabinet Face East #671Kootenai National Forest50,326
Cube Iron - SilcoxLolo National Forest36,998
Flagstaff Mountain #690Kootenai National Forest11,114
Freezeout MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest97,305
Middle Mtn. / Tobacco RootsBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest96,487
Reservation DivideLolo National Forest16,908
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
New Hampshire (4)
AreaForestAcres
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (5)
AreaForestAcres
El InviernoSanta Fe National Forest29,927
LemitasSanta Fe National Forest8,129
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Sierra Negra Rare II Study AreaCarson National Forest9,470
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Oregon (7)
AreaForestAcres
BearwallowsDeschutes National Forest7,317
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
HomesteadWallowa-Whitman National Forest5,817
Hurricane CreekWallowa-Whitman National Forest1,606
Mt. Hood AdditionsMt. Hood National Forest13,061
Roaring RiverMt. Hood National Forest27,316
West - South BachelorDeschutes National Forest25,994
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Utah (11)
AreaForestAcres
418024Uinta National Forest51,699
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
418027Uinta National Forest13,884
Lone Peak ContiguousWasatch-Cache National Forest874
Mahogany RangeWasatch-Cache National Forest11,409
Mt. Logan NorthWasatch-Cache National Forest18,930
Mt. Logan SouthWasatch-Cache National Forest17,014
Mt. Logan WestWasatch-Cache National Forest5,285
Mt. NaomiWasatch-Cache National Forest41,922
Oak CreekFishlake National Forest54,053
WellsvilleWasatch-Cache National Forest1,717
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Washington (6)
AreaForestAcres
Devils GulchWenatchee National Forest24,419
Liberty BellOkanogan National Forest108,495
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Wyoming (6)
AreaForestAcres
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
Pacific Creek - Blackrock CreekBridger-Teton National Forest24,658
PalisadesTarghee National Forest1,121
Spread Creek - Gros Ventre RiverBridger-Teton National Forest166,097
West Slope TetonsTarghee National Forest47,448
Wilderness Study AreaTarghee National Forest51,961
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