Merlin (bird) this phenomenon is due to the fluctuations of supplementary food stocks discussed above. Merlin (bird) The merlin ("Falco columbarius") is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere, with numerous subspecies throughout North America and Eurasia. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. Males typically have wingspans of , with females being slightly larger. They are swift fliers and skilled hunters who specialize in preying on small birds in the size range of sparrows to
Common black hawk distinctive piping "spink-speenk-speenk-spink-spink-spink". The common black hawk is protected in the far north of its range (in the USA) under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Common black hawk The common black hawk ("Buteogallus anthracinus") is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. It formerly included the Cuban black-hawk ("Buteogallus gundlachii") as a subspecies. The mangrove black hawk, traditionally considered a distinct species, is now generally considered a subspecies, "B. a. subtilis", of the common black-hawk. The adult common black-hawk is long and weighs on average. It has