The Merlin is a small falcon (only 10 inches in length) that can be found around the world, breeding in northern latitudes and then retreating a bit for winter. Edmonds is situated within a range of permanent residency for this falcon. It can be seen from time to time just about anywhere in Edmonds, but most sightings are in and around the Edmonds marsh. Coastal marshes are one of the Merlin’s favored winter habitats.

There are three subspecies of Merlin in North America. The birds of the Pacific Northwest are the darkest of the subspecies and are called black Merlins. For a number of years, interested birders have been monitoring Merlin nest sites in north Seattle and Shoreline. A pair has been nesting in neighborhoods near Echo Lake, just south of Aurora Village. That nesting pair may produce some of the birds seen in Edmonds. Blair took his photo at the Edmonds marsh this past summer. I consulted with a falcon researcher who said it can not be determined whether this is a juvenile or an adult female. The similarities are so strong that, with a single black Merlin, sex and age can only be determined when the bird is in hand. The adult male is distinguished by its white throat and dark gray head and back.

The bulk of a Merlin’s diet is small birds. Along the coast it will hunt among flocks of shorebirds. It also eats large insects such as dragonflies, reptiles, rodents, and bats. The Merlin mostly hunts by watching from a perch. When it spots prey it flies out to catch it midair. It also hunts by flying low over the ground or among trees, taking prey by surprise.

Although the Merlin rarely dives steeply to capture prey when hunting, steep dives are part of its courtship displays, along with strong twisting flight, glides, and rolls from side to side. Another courtship display involves the male presenting food to the female. The Merlin does not build its own nest. It usually nests in a tree, 10 – 60 feet above ground, and uses abandoned nests of hawks, crows, or magpies. It will rarely use the same nest in subsequent years. The 4 – 5 eggs are incubated mostly by the female for about a month. While she incubates the eggs, the male provides her with food. He will incubate the eggs while she eats. The female remains with the young in the nest most of the time while the male continues to bring food that she shares with the young birds. Age at first flight is about a month.

The Merlin used to be called a pigeon hawk because it looks somewhat like a pigeon in flight. In Medieval times falconers called it the lady hawk because noblewomen used it to hunt Skylarks. The oldest known Merlin lived to an age of 11 years, 11 months.

As with other raptors, the North American Merlin population declined with introduction of the pesticide DDT. That pesticide caused eggs to develop with thin shells so that young birds could not hatch. Since the elimination of DDT use, the North American population has rebounded. It is now considered a species of least concern.

You can hear the call of a Merlin here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/195556.

— By Carol Riddell

Carol Riddell manages the bird education displays, on behalf of Pilchuck Audubon Society and Edmonds Parks & Recreation, at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station.