Merlin

Merlin perched on a wire against a blue sky, streaked brown plumage

The merlin is a small, fast falcon with a streaked chest, a dark back, and a banded tail. It often sits alone on a wire or the top of a dead tree, watching for songbirds and dragonflies to chase in open flight.

Merlins nest in Manitoba in old crow and magpie nests in conifers, and some stay in the south of the province through the winter. Their flight is low, fast, and direct, and a small bird in a hurry across a field is often a merlin hunting.

To learn more about this bird and its habitat, visit the merlin page at All About Birds.

This is one of my favourite frames of a merlin, perched on a wire in the evening light.

Field notes in photographs

  • Merlin perched on a wire against a blue sky, streaked brown plumage

Merlin Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the merlin in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the merlin nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the merlin in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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