Falco columbarius
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
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, the merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. Males typically have wingspans of 53–58 centimetres (21–23 in), with females being slightly larger. They are swift fliers and skilled hunters, which specialize in preying on small birds in the size range of sparrows to doves and medium-sized shorebirds. In recent decades, merlin populations in North America have been significantly increasing, with some merlins becoming so well adapted to city life that they forgo migration; in Europe, populations increased up to about 2000, but have been steady subsequently. The merlin has for centuries been well regarded as a falconry bird.
The scientific classification of the merlin (Falco columbarius) represents a crucial bridge between early colonial natural history and the birth of modern taxonomy. In the early 18th century, English naturalist Mark Catesby traveled through the American colonies and documented the bird under the colloquial name "pigeon... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Anchorage | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Santo Domingo | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | |
| 8 | Novosibirsk | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 9 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina Raptor Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cascades Raptor Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Chouette à voir! | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Museum of Life and Science | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Merlin sighting in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, based on 79 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 202nd most-seen of the 348 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Merlin in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May–September and November–March, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Merlin sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
43rd of 82
Of the 82 parks where we can rate Merlin sightings, Tortuguero National Park ranks 43rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Riding Mountain National Park (Canada, about 20%), Denali National Park (United States, about 20%) and Katmai National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same genus: Falco
The closest relatives of the Merlin that you can see in Tortuguero National Park (genus Falco, Typical Falcons) are Bat Falcon (about 10%) and Peregrine Falcon (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Merlin is recorded against all the birds logged in Tortuguero National Park (79 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
