Falcons

Peregrine Falcon- Watching over babies, very protective bird. Peregine falcon-(white) standing on log in front of a crowd ready to perform. Was trained very well to fly then come back to owner.

Merlins

I have learned a lot about Merlins through some research. I didn't get to actually see a Merlin at Hawk Mountain because they are an October migrant so they were just starting to come on the day of the field trip(October 1). Merlins are about the size of a blue jay. They have a wingspan of approximately 20 inches and their length about 10 inches. They actually do not build their own nests like most other birds. They nest in open woodland areas and take an abandoned nest of another raptor. The Merlin has been increasing in population. So it is the least concerned by the IUCN. Although the population is high now it wasn't about 40 years ago when the pesticide DDT was being used but it was later banned in 1972. Merlins diets consist of other birds so the birds Merlins have eaten could have been infected with DDT. When a Merlin is infected by DDT its eggshells get weak and can break very easily causing more deaths of unhatched birds. When we took our trip to Hawk mountain we saw an American Kestrel. I was very surprised at how small it was. The American Kestrel is actually closely related to the Merlin. They are both in the falcon group. I looked up at the gallery of birds and saw that the Merlin looked similar to the American Kestrel but it was much bigger. I didn't get to see a Merlin when I was at Hawk Mountain but I hope to learn more about this interesting bird and see and see one some day. Here is a link to some more information on the Merlin:

Merlin Info

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This is the American Kestrel.This is apart of the falcon group. On the hawk mountain trip I saw at least one of these quick birds. This bird seemed like it moved through the air with ease. This is a pretty cool bird. I was kind of surprised at how small this bird is up close. The American Kestrel is the most common falcon in North America. This bird may even be the most colorful raptor in the world. The American Kestrel is 8.7-12.2 inches or 22-31 centimeters. It's wingspan is 1-24 inches or 51-61 centimeters.The American Kestrel's weight is 2.8-5.8 ounces or 80-165 grams. The American Kestrel's habitat are open woodlands.American Kestrel's eat large insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. American Kestrels nest in cavities in trees, in buildings and in nest boxes. No material added to nest hole. The American Kestrel's behavior is pretty cool, they watch prey from tall perches and they also hover and drop on their prey. This bird is cool and it's the American Kestrel. [|American Kestrel facts]

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