Merlin

Falco columbarius Linnaeus, 1758

Falconidae — Caracaras, Falcons

Merlin Falco columbarius is a falcon of North America and the Palearctic, breeding across the northern Holarctic and wintering in northern Oregon and northern Louisiana. It is a bird of prey in the Falconidae, and it has long been valued in falconry. The species was described by Linnaeus in 1758. Its range is broad across North America and Eurasia, with many subspecies recorded. Some birds move to subtropical and northern tropical areas in winter, and some in North America have become so closely tied to towns and cities that they no longer migrate.

Order
Falconiformes
Family
Falconidae — Caracaras, Falcons
Breeding range
North America, Palearctic: widespread
Nonbreeding range
n OR, n LA
Merlin
© U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Tours where you can spot this bird

10 tours in Canada 4, Hungary 2, United Kingdom 1, Lithuania 1, Finland 1, Mexico 1

Early Spring Birdwatching Tour in Hungary
Early Spring Birdwatching Tour in Hungary
Hungary / Kecskemet Private tour 5 days

Use five early-March days to combine Hungary’s wintering geese and raptors with Great Bustard, mountain woodpeckers, Wallcreeper and early...

From EUR 750 Next: Mar 8, 2027
Autumn Birding Tour in Hungary
Autumn Birding Tour in Hungary
Hungary / Kecskemet Private tour 5 days

Track autumn migration for five days across Lake Tisza, Kiskunsag and northern mountains, focusing on cranes, geese, raptors and late-season...

From EUR 750 Next: Oct 12, 2026
Private Full-Day Birding Tour in the Outer Hebrides
Private Full-Day Birding Tour in the Outer Hebrides
United Kingdom / North Uist Private tour 1 day

Explore North Uist, Benbecula or South Uist with resident guide Steve Duffield on a private full-day birding tour shaped around the season a...

From GBP 70
Magic of Migration Lithuania Birding Tour
Magic of Migration Lithuania Birding Tour
Lithuania / Vente Cape Group tour 8 days

An eight-day autumn birding journey along Lithuania’s East Baltic Flyway, from Ventė Cape and the Curonian Spit to crane gatherings and B...

From EUR 1,120
Full-Day Helsinki Region Birding Tour
Full-Day Helsinki Region Birding Tour
Finland / Helsinki Private tour 9h

A private nine-hour birding day by car and on foot, using several Helsinki-region habitats and a route adjusted to seasonal bird activity....

From EUR 350
Southern Quebec Border Area Seasonal Birding Day Trip with Sheldon Harvey
Southern Quebec Border Area Seasonal Birding Day Trip with Sheldon Harvey
Canada / Lacolle Private tour 1 day

A seasonal private birding day in southern Quebec toward the U.S. border, with route and targets selected by local conditions....

Veracruz River of Raptors Migration Tour
Veracruz River of Raptors Migration Tour
Mexico / Chichicaxtle Private tour

A private birding outing at Observatorio de Aves Migratorias Dr. Mario Ramos with Veracruz biologist and local guide Gustavo Contreras, plan...

Birding by Ear Workshops
Birding by Ear Workshops
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 1h

Become a Better Birder. Expert birders identify most birds in any habitat using song identification. Some birds can only be safely identifie...

From CAD 35
Saskatoon Birdwatching Tour with 2 great new options for finding summer birds
Saskatoon Birdwatching Tour with 2 great new options for finding summer birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3h

A custom private birdwatching tour through Saskatoon parks, offered as a three-hour half-day or an eight-hour full-day programme....

From CAD 190
Forestry Farm Park Bird Walk – birding in Saskatoon’s best wooded park
Forestry Farm Park Bird Walk – birding in Saskatoon’s best wooded park
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 2h

A guided two-hour bird walk in Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park, exploring mature trees and nearby water for songbirds, waterfowl and season...

From CAD 95