Merlin

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8y
Merlin in flight~ Larger than kestrels, smaller than peregrine falcons, merlins are an extremely fast bird of prey.
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Merlin (Falco columbarius). A small falcon with subspecies widespread across the Northern hemisphere. photo: Phoo Chan.
ALBERTA - DAY 1
Merlin (Falco columbarius) is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America.
Merlin falcon / Esmerejón (Falco columbarius) Drzemlik
X. It’s what’s happening
From the Twitter feed of Denali National Park and Preserve: The merlins are back in Denali!
Merlins are highly aggressive towards other raptors during the nesting period. This is beneficial to the song & ground birds of nearby woodlands, since their territory is kept fairly free of predators during the mating season. The survival rate amongst the young is very high, with three birds per nest often reaching breeding age. Found around the northern hemisphere, they favour areas of open country such as grassland, dunes & coastal areas. The merlin is the smallest falcon in the UK.
Merlin Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Merlin Bird | Merlin, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology