Merlin

The Merlin (Falco columbarius) is a smallish falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. It breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. In North America, "pigeon hawk" is an old colloquial name. But although it is perhaps the most hawk-like living falcon as regards its habitus, as a member of family Falconidae the Merlin is actually no closer relative of hawks than of, for example, eagles and Ol... more

The Merlin (Falco columbarius) is a smallish falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. It breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. In North America, "pigeon hawk" is an old colloquial name. But although it is perhaps the most hawk-like living falcon as regards its habitus, as a member of family Falconidae the Merlin is actually no closer relative of hawks than of, for example, eagles and Old World vultures. It may well be that its North American and Eurasian populations are better regarded as two distinct species. In this case, F. columbarius refers to the former. Even though both the Merlin and Carl Linné – the first modern taxonomist to describe it – are native to Sweden, Linné reported his type specimen to come from "America". But just 13 years after Linné's description, Marmaduke Tunstall in his Ornithologica Britannica recognized the Eurasian birds as a distinct taxon aesalon. If two species of Merlins are recognized, the... less