female

female female underwing European distribution flying

Identification

The Merlin has the pointed wings of a Kestrel but is smaller and shorter tailed with dark duller plumage. It flies with great speed and agility using quick shallow wing-beats. At close range its moustache is less obvious than on any other British falcon. Adult males are slatey-blue above with a black tip to the tail: females and immatures are a dull dark brown above, heavily streaked below.

Habitat

Breeds on open moorland and grassland. Winters on open moorland, estuaries and marshes.

Migration

Although resident in Britain and Ireland, some northerly individuals move to lower areas during winter and are supplemented by further birds from Iceland. Continental birds from northern Europe also move south to central and southern European lowlands Some reach North Africa.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Merlin is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Gunner's Pk, Essex 29/08/2010	undisc. site, Shetland 05/08/2010	undisc. site, Shetland 05/08/2010	Lochindorb, Highland 24/05/2010	Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India 03/02/2010
Greylake RSPB, Somerset 17/04/2010	Greylake RSPB, Somerset 17/04/2010	Ballaghennie, IOM 10/04/2010	The Wig, Dumf & Gall 08/04/2010	The Wig, Dumf & Gall 08/04/2010

 View all pictures of Merlin

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Merlin breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Belarus
Britain
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
Iceland
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
Norway
Russia
Sweden

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob3090.htm   BTO BirdFacts: Merlin	Edit this link
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