Merlin

Falco columbarius

Urban History

Urban Merlins in North America were first studied in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. One nesting pair was documented there in 1971, increasing to 31 pairs by 1989. In Washington, Tom Gleason found the first urban nest in 2000 in Bellingham. Nest sightings in Western Washington quickly followed south to Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Marysville, and Lynnwood. In the early 2000s, Jack Bettesworth banded Merlins in Seattle. The first Merlin nest in Seattle was found in 2008 by Kim McCormick, who, with Ben Vang-Johnson, began the Seattle Merlin Project.

Urban Merlins in the Seattle area nest in abandoned crows’ nests in conifers, usually a different nest each year. Their favored prey are House Sparrows and House Finches.