25 June 2023
Ultimate 12 months Malcolm Kurtz discovered the primary recorded merlin nest in Allegheny County when he heard them on Chatham College’s campus. They have been simple to seek out as a result of merlins are extraordinarily vocal right through the breeding season, particularly past due June via July when their younger beg loudly. If you know the sound it’s possible you’ll uncover merlins nesting close to you. In Pennsylvania this can be a very large deal and Don Nixon, who tracks Pennsylvania’s merlins, desires to find out about it.
Merlins (Falco columbarius) are small, streaky, darkish, very rapid falcons concerning the dimension of pigeons who, after the DDT crash, didn’t nest in Pennsylvania for over 30 years. Once they returned they selected previous unmodified crow or hawk nests in conifers in forests, towns, residential spaces, college yards, parks, cemeteries, and golfing classes.
Don Nixon has observed merlin numbers develop temporarily lately and writes:
- We have over 100 documented merlin nests throughout Pennsylvania since 2006.
- Nest websites stretch from a time and again used space at Promised Land State Park within the Poconos to a golfing route in Somerset.
- Nests were reported in 24 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
- Counties reporting nests for the primary time in 2022 come with Allegheny (Malcom’s nest), Blair, Cameron, Clarion, Columbiana and Somerset.
- This 12 months Lackawanna County is already reporting its first nest.
Don publishes an annual PA merlin map after the breeding season, 2022 proven beneath. The dots seem clustered as a result of there are few observers.
Since merlins don’t use the similar nest website in consecutive years those dots don’t let you know the place to seek out merlins this 12 months. As an alternative you’ll need to concentrate for them. The 2 maximum commonplace calls, described by way of Birds of the International, are:
- Ki-Ki-Kee (Kek-Kek-Kek) given in courtship shows, territorial or different competitive encounters,
- Meals Begging Whine: an uneventful name, given by way of feminine soliciting meals transfers from male. On occasion given after copulation. Additionally given by way of nestlings however softer and faster.
Listed below are 3 examples:
Alarm close to the nest, Xeno Canto 666137:
Feminine calling after mating with male, Xeno Canto 642023:
Adults and begging juvenile, Xeno Canto 583041:
If you happen to listen those sounds search for merlins. If you happen to heard them in Pennsylvania, Don Nixon desires to listen to from you. Upload your personal dot to the PA Merlin Map. Touch Don at:
Don Nixon
1009 Inexperienced Glen Pressure, DuBois, PA 15801
814-661-5944 (mobile)
[email protected]
Now’s the time to concentrate for merlins. Perhaps you’ll discover a nest!
(photograph by way of Malcolm Kurtz, map from Don Nixon)