- Falco columbarius
Identification
Smallish falcon. Approximately 10-13 inches in length. Pointed wings, less distinguishable facial stripe than most falcons, just a slightly darker slash. Male is gunmetal-blue above, with streaked underparts
Female is brownish, as is juvenile.
Pacific Coast "Black" or "Suckley's" Merlins are very dark, while the "Richardson's" prairie Merlin is noticeably paler than the other subspecies.
Distribution
North America, Central America and South America, Europe, Africa and northern Asia.
Taxonomy
Eight races are usually recognised: columbarius, the Taiga Merlin, in Alaska and northern Canada, suckleyi from British Columbia to northern California and richardsonii in the Great Plains. The large and dark F.c.subaesalon breeds in Iceland and the Faroes and winters in the British Isles, rarely on European coasts from Norway to France, aesalon breeds from Europe to western Siberia and the paler insignis breeds in eastern Siberia and winters in Japan and China. Another pale race pallidus breeds in west-central Asia, lymani in the eastern Altai, Tien Shan and western China.
Habitat
Moorland and heaths, tundra and boreal forest-edge.
Behaviour
Bird Song
<flashmp3>Falco columbarius (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
