"The name “Merlin” comes from esmerillon, the old French name for the species. Merlins used to be called “pigeon hawks” because in flight they look somewhat pigeon-like. Their species name, columbarius, is also a reference to pigeons.”
Tom Benedict
Seahurst, WA
> On May 18, 2026, at 15:33, Dennis Paulson via Tweeters <tweeters...> wrote:
>
> Ahh, but was that because they hunted pigeons or because they were about the size of one? The name columbarius I guess doesn’t really answer that question. It would be interesting to know what they knew about the species when it was named by Linnaeus in 1758.
>
> And how does Merlin relate to Merlin the Magician? Wikipedia makes it clear that the two names have entirely different origins!
>
> Dennis Paulson
> Seattle
>
>> On May 18, 2026, at 3:09 PM, HAL MICHAEL via Tweeters <tweeters...> <mailto:<tweeters...>> wrote:
>>
>> The common name for Merlin used to be Pigeon Hawk.
>>
>> Hal Michael
>> Olympia WA
>> 360-459-4005
>> 360-791-7702 (C)
>> <ucd880...> <mailto:<ucd880...> >>
>>
>>> On 05/18/2026 11:25 AM PDT Joe Buchanan via Tweeters <tweeters...> <mailto:<tweeters...>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Tweeters -
>>>
>>> Merlins are amazing predators and capture a wide range of species. During the breeding season it is logical that they regularly take smaller prey, which allows them to make regular trips back to the nest with food. During the nonbreeding season, Merlins that are associated with estuaries in other parts of the Pacific Flyway (e.g., central coastal California; see Page and Whitacre 1975) may focus on smaller sandpipers. In Washington, however, the Dunlin is the primary shorebird prey during winter. Merlins regularly take starlings and blackbirds in agricultural areas during the winter, so prey of that size is well documented although less preferred than smaller species like the House Sparrow. I have seen a Merlin take a Eurasian Collared Dove and in downtown Olympia in the 1980s, a Merlin famously targeted and captured Rock Pigeons. The latter two prey species are clearly at the upper end of the size range for a Merlin!
>>>
>>> In the breeding season, I have seen Merlins with chickadees, sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, etc., but witnesses near nests have reported seeing Steller's Jay fledglings as prey items. Merlins are perhaps surprisingly tenacious predators.
>>>
>>> Joe Buchanan
>>> Olympia
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