Wildlife
Merlins are highly aggressive towards other raptors and crows during the nesting period. This is beneficial to the song and ground birds of nearby woodlands, since their territory is kept fairly free of predators during the entire mating season. The survival rate amongst young merlins is exceptionally high, with three birds per nest often reaching breeding age. Found throughout the northern hemisphere, they favour areas of open country such as grassland, dunes and coastal areas. The merlin is the smallest falcon in the UK.
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Featherweights
As the UK's smallest bird of prey, merlins punch above their weight.
As the UK's smallest bird of prey, merlins punch above their weight.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Merlin can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, North America, Russia, South America, United Kingdom, Wales, Ynys-hir nature reserve. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Merlin distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The 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, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.
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Farmland
Coastal
Heathland
Marsh
Moorland
Parkland
Taiga
Temperate grassland
Migration
Carnivorous
Colonial
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Monogamous
Moulting
Egg layer
Parental investment
Polygynous
Predator
Sexual dimorphism