MERLIN

Merlins are birds of prey and are part of the falcon family. Merlins are extremely fast and agile hunters. Their diets vary depending on where they live. For example, in Britain,  they pray upon meadow pippets.  In the breeding season, in Shetland, they prey on Northern Wheatears and Skylarks.
In urban areas, they prey on pigeons. In Europe and Canada, the Merlin likes to nest in abandoned crow and magpie nests but if there aren't any, they will nest on cliff ledges or even on the ground. Here are some more facts about Merlins:


1. Though just slightly larger than the American Kestrel, the Merlin is heavier and more robustly built.
2. The female lays 3-6 rusty brown eggs with brown markings.
3. The female incubates and the male hunts.
4. The young leave the nest about a month after hatching. This is relatively easy because their parents bring them food and defend them against predators.
5. Merlins use a variety of hunting techniques to catch a meal. They most often catch prey in the air after swooping from a perch or while flying low over the ground in a surprise attack. Occasionally, they flush hiding prey out from shrubs or grass clumps and then pursue it in a tail chase.

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