Merlin
Falco columbarius
Family Name: Falconidae
The Merlin is the UK’s smallest bird of prey, a small falcon known for its agility and hunting prowess. It’s a moorland specialist, primarily breeding in the uplands, but migrating to coastal and lowland areas in the winter. Merlins are a red-listed species and are recovering from historical from historic population crashes.
Merlins are roughly the size of a blackbird, with a pointed, broad-based wings and relatively short, square-cut tail. They primarily prey on small birds, specialising in species like meadow pipits and skylarks. Historically, Merlins bred across the Peak District’s moorlands, favouring areas with mature. healthier stands for ground nesting. They are agile hunters, catching prey in flight, often chasing them to the low ground. A significant decline in the Merlin population of the Peak District occurred in the 1950s, with nearly half of the known nesting haunts becoming deserted. This decline is largely attributed to the widespread use of pesticides, which accumulated in the Merlin's food chain, impacting their reproductive success and causing fatalities. Persecution and egg-collecting were also contributing factors. Despite showing some improvement, numbers in the Peak District have been slower to rebound compared to some other raptor species. The Peak District's Merlin population remains small and sparsely distributed across the moorland, particularly in the Dark and South West Peak areas. In 2018, an estimated 24 pairs nested in the area. Merlins in the Peak District are considered to be at a "very high" risk of vulnerability, according to a Peak District National Park climate change assessment.