MERLIN: Merlins are small, fierce falcons that use surprise attacks to bring down small songbirds and shorebirds. Wild About Birds Nature Center in Layton, Utah sells everything to do with your backyard birds and also offer tours on the Deseret Ranch, which is home to over 100 species of birds! For more information, go to http://wildaboutbirdsnaturecenter.com or call 801-779-BIRD.

Merlin Falcon | Merlin Falcon 5 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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A small but fierce falcon, this swift hunter darts through open landscapes in pursuit of songbirds and insects.

Merlin (Falco columbarius) Outdoor Discovery Center Allegan Co., MI

Black merlin

Merlins are small, fierce falcons that use surprise attacks to bring down small songbirds and shorebirds. They are powerful fliers, but you can tell them from larger falcons by their rapid wingbeats and overall dark tones. Medieval falconers called them “lady hawks,” and noblewomen used them to hunt Sky Larks. Merlin populations have largely recovered from twentieth-century declines, thanks to a ban on the pesticide DDT and their ability to adapt to life around towns and cities.

The merlin is a bird I've never seen so close before. Very small but extremely beautiful.Edwin Kats

Just wanted to remind everyone that our latest contest ends exactly one week from today ( Friday November 9th ). If you would like to learn...