Merlin, the Magician

  

Whew!  We've been attending a virtual meeting during the last few days — which means a lot of time looking at a computer screen.  So it was nice to get out for a walk around the neighborhood in the late afternoon, and even nicer to see a Merlin (Falco columbarius)!

If you're not familiar with them, Merlins are small falcons, a bit larger than American Kestrels but smaller than Peregrine Falcons.  They're generally darker than kestrels...and note the relatively dark face and the pale stripe above the eye:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Merlin was joined in this tree by an American Crow, making it easy to compare the size difference:

 

 

 

Merlins are ~10-12" long with a wingspan of ~24-25", while American Crows are ~17.5" long with a wingspan of ~39".