09/03/2026
✨We’ve had a rare bird visiting our local woodlands. Merlins - Falco columbarius' breeding range was once restricted to the boreal forest and northern prairies of Canada and northern North America. Since around the turn of the century, their range expanded southward into suburban and urban areas including Pittsburgh. Here, they are attracted to clusters of tall conifers like those around cemeteries and golf courses, which bare some resemblance to their breeding grounds in the northern Taiga forests.
🦅This is an interesting gain for a species that was affected by a broad pattern of raptor population crashes due to the widespread use of the pesticide DDT through the 60's. Since its banning in the early 70's, along with legislative protection, habitat restoration, and conservation programs. raptors have made a steady comeback.
☝️Allegheny County has had promising reports over the last several years, with confirmed nests at Chatham University in 2022, and sightings continuing to increase. We’ve had reports across Mt. Lebanon, from board member's sightings near Bird Park this spring, to sightings on tall snags in local neighborhoods this summer, including those pictured.
⚡Merlins have some special adaptations & behaviors
-Streamlined bodies and broad wings for rapid, agile flight
-Large eyes with sharp vision to spot prey at a distance
-Sharp hooked talons and strong beak to capture prey
-Ambush hunters, they perch on treetops or snags to launch surprise attacks
-Can hunt cooperatively to flush and capture prey
-Don’t build their own nests, they reuse old nests & often return to the same nesting sites.
-Breed in Canada and northern North America, migrate to subtropical and tropical regions for winter. Some are partial migrants, remaining year‑round in their breeding areas due to an adaptation to urban and suburban habitats.
🙌 What Can You Do?
-Plant native plants and trees that support their diet of insects, small birds, rodents and reptiles.
-Avoid pesticides and rodenticides - they poison the food web, killing a whole host of wildlife including birds of prey.
-Keep cats indoors - they compete with merlins, killing the same birds merlins rely on for survival.
-Participate in citizen science - report your sightings through Cornell Lab’s eBird or Merlin apps to help track populations
Up Next:
📚Sept 1st, Green Reads Book Group - Raising Hare https://www.facebook.com/share/19HifLaGqS/
🪶Sept 12th, Migratory Bird Walk - Bird Park https://www.facebook.com/share/14mUT7yuDV2/
🌳Sept 19th, Park Improvement Project - Twin Hills Park https://www.facebook.com/share/14hh6hEgjdK/
🍕Sept 19th, Community Social - East End Brewing
https://www.facebook.com/share/18WCSUwy3E/
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🤝Like what we do? Become a member!
🤜To join the effort - reach out!
📸Holly McCullough 3
📸Jim Saracco - 1,2,4
