Merlin (bird)
Merlin ( Falco c. Columbarius ), male
The Merlin ( Falco columbarius ) is a bird of prey in the family of the Falk -like ( Falconidae ). Merlins are compact and small, the males are the smallest falcon in Europe. The species inhabits open and semi-open landscapes in much of the northern Holarctic. North and north-eastern European breeding birds appear regularly in Central Europe as a migrant in small numbers in the fall and spring as well as winter visitor in open landscapes of all kinds, as far as these are rich in small birds.
- 7.1 Literature
- 7.2 External links
- 7.3 Notes and references
Name
The German name Merlin is derived from the Dutch Merlijn, dialectal merlin, to scenic smerlijn with decrease of the s- Anlauts, smerlin is derived, or from from the Middle French esmerillon. In contrast, the scenic Erbsynonyme Schmerl, Schmirl, Schmerlin smirle from Middle High German originate, via Old High German smerlo, smiril, in the sense of merlin '. The s has been abraded over time in the German language. In the Icelandic or Faroese language, he is still called smyrill or smyril. In the Netherlands has West Flemish, Antwerp inherited word smirrel, smierel be important, dove ' changed, because it resembles, on the top, the gray-blue plumage of the wood pigeons males, and its flight pattern.
The scientific name of the species columbarius has actually points to a bird of prey, catching pigeons. However, given the Merlin has a too small body size. Linnaeus used the name first for an American bird of prey, which was then transferred for the same coloring on the Merlin.
Appearance
Appearance of adult Merline
The Merlin is distinguished by its compact shape, the shorter tail and the wings from her home kestrels. Also, it's much smaller. On average, the Merlin weighs only 190 grams.
The male is only slightly larger than a Mistle Thrush with a body length of 25 to 30 inches and a wingspan of about 60 centimeters. As geschlechtsdimorphe type the plumage of the male from that of the female is different. The body top is slate gray. The neck is reddish rust. The bottom, however, is bright isabell - to rust-colored and has a dark Längsfleckung on. The gray tail has a black terminal band at its end.
The female is considerably larger than the male and reaches a breadth of 67 cm. It is dark brown on the body top, while the bottom is white with dark spots is longitudinal. The tail is strong dark banded.
In Flight Image of Merlin is very similar to the much larger peregrine falcon.
Appearance of the nestlings
Merlin chicks are altricial. Newly hatched nestlings have dunes on the head, body and legs. Your first Dunenkleid is creamy white and very thin and short. Change to their second Dunenkleid from about the eighth day. This is slightly longer and coarser. On the body top is light brown gray, while the underparts pale gray. On the chin, throat and belly, dunes are gray with white lace. Newly hatched Dunenküken initially have a pink cere, this is changing with the increasing of age, first in light gray and yellow. The beak is pale pink blue at hatching and changes to a black.
Distribution and habitat
The Merlin is a breeding bird of the cold- temperate northern Eurasia and North America. Its distribution extends from Iceland and Great Britain to eastern Siberia, Alaska, Canada and North America.
He lives there, moors, heaths, forest tundra and dwarf shrub areas and also occurs in birch forests and the treeless shores. In Central Europe it is mainly a migrant. A breeding suspicion only for the Czech Republic. Merlins can be observed in the first half of October, more common in Northern Germany.
Voice
The shouts of Merlin are rarely heard in Central Europe, as it is predominantly silent in winter quarters. The Rufreihen can be confused with those of the kestrels. If it is disturbed or attacked during the breeding season, a shrill, giggling kikikikikiki be heard. He hates to other birds of prey such as the rough-legged buzzard, this changes to a jijijijijiji ... kek - kek - or kek. The female gets a little faster and brighter than the male.
Food
The Merlin prefers open, treeless landscape as a habitat and hunting area. It hunts mainly small birds up to about the size of a choke. He hits in the air in a steep surge from above or in ground-level air game. Its flight is similar to Sperber very fast and agile. Unlike the hawk but he does not hunt in urban areas. Small mammals, not yet capable of flying young birds and larger insects supplement the diet of Merlin, particularly during the breeding season.
Prey is plucked at different elevations in open areas. It all springs swing the prey animals are usually removed.
Reproduction
The incubation period varies depending on the area of distribution. In the south of its range Merlins breed as early as the beginning of April. In the north of its range the breeding beginning is only the end of May or even early June. Merline draw only a scrim in size. Its breeding grounds are treeless bogs, grasslands, dunes and marshes. Light woods he uses only occasionally.
The nest is generally built on the ground. They occasionally use but also rock bands or old nests of larger birds. A full clutch consists usually of five to six eggs. Very large clutches also have seven eggs. They are short fusiform to kurzelliptisch, have a smooth and dull color. Your base color is pale beige with a red-brown mottling, which can be so dense that the beige base color is no longer visible. The planting distance is about two days.
The nest is almost exclusively incubated by the female. The incubation period is 28 to 32 days. The female takes before the completion of the scrim on the brood. The male brings food at this time in the vicinity of the nest. After hatching, the nestlings are brooded by the female -intensive. Also at this time it is the male that the nutritional approach brings. However, the female is the one that is feeding the nestlings. The females involved in the care of the young birds until a few days before fledging of young birds. Fledging the young birds are about 25 to 30 days of life. First you remain in the vicinity of the nest and are self-employed only after a further six weeks.
The females of this Falcons are usually already capable of reproduction with a year ago, mostly males at the age of two years. The birds perform a marriage season. As a breeding ground, a shallow hollow in the soil or rock slope also serve as an old crow or magpie nest.