Merlin (Falco columbarius)
About the Merlin
The merlin (Falco columbarius) is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere, with numerous subspecies throughout North America and Eurasia. A bird of prey, the merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. Males typically have wingspans of 53–58 centimetres (21–23 in), with females being slightly larger. They are swift fliers and skilled hunters, which specialize in preying on small birds in the size range of sparrows to doves and medium-sized shorebirds. In recent decades, merlin populations in North America have been significantly increasing, with some merlins becoming so well adapted to city life that they forgo migration; in Europe, populations increased up to about 2000, but have been steady subsequently. The merlin has for centuries been well regarded as a falconry bird.
A real field recording of the Merlin. Press play and focus on the rhythm and pitch of each phrase.
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Our streaming copies are mirrored from the original xeno-canto file and transcoded to 96 kbps mono — a modification, so we note it here; the licence for each recording is named in its credit below.
2 recordings on this page · licensed CC BY-SA ×2 · mirrored on this server, free for commercial reuse · recorded in Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Latvia and elsewhere · xeno-canto lists 166 recordings for this species in total.
Similar species
- American KestrelFalco sparveriusrecording
- Amur FalconFalco amurensisrecording
- Aplomado FalconFalco femoralisprofile
- Australian HobbyFalco longipennisprofile
- Banded KestrelFalco zoniventrisprofile
- Bat FalconFalco rufigularisprofile
Species grouped by shared genus, family and range.