And I thought Swallows were bad, I have REAL trouble now!

[Mike E]

Like the title says. I had swallows get into my gourd rack a day before the martin scouts showed up last week. They were battling over the housing for a few days. Yesterday I didn't see a whole lot of activity, then last night my wife says "look at that bird on the martin house" . BAD news a Merlin/Sparrow Hawk/Sharp-shinned was perched the a cross member and was checking things out. This rack is about 50-75 feet out in the lake from shore. I think this is what drove out the colony early last year. I had cut down a overhanging tree in order to make it harder for anything to hid closer to the rack, but apparently it did not help. Boy are they(Merlins) fast!! Hopefully he moves on, but I am afraid I will not have any company this summer I wonder if moving the rack farther away from the shore will discourage this fast little hunter. Its neat to see these little falcons but not around "my little friends".

Mike

[flyin-lowe]

There are several hawk experts on here and I myself am not one so I can't make a positive ID on that hawk. It looks to me like a coopers or a sharp shinned hawk and not a merlin. I think sparrow hawk itself is a "nick name" for many of the common hawks like the coopers and sharp shinned.

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Mike,

Yep, I believe you gotta merlin! It is most likely a female as the females have a dark brown back. Mature males have a bluish gray back. Immature males also have a dark back.

You can see her long pointed wings folded against her sides. A Cooper's or sharp-shinned hawk's wings would be more rounded and not extend as far down the sides.

Merlins are small but feisty hunters with tremendous speed and stamina and will chase martins and swallows for long distances. Since merlins are falcons, they hunt in the open and that is where martins and swallows fly.

Our two martin colonies down here in Louisiana are attacked numerous times by migrating merlins in March, April and through early May. I just hold my breath when a hungry merlin is on the prowl and starts chasing our martins! It is breath taking and terrifying at times to watch some of these high speed chases. I will sometimes observe five attacks a day by different merlins migrating over. Other times the merlins just keep on going and don't even attempt to hunt the martins.

Merlins are a match for martins in speed but martins are usually more manueverable. I have witnessed MANY attacks by merlins on martins and the martins nearly always escape when the martins KNOW the merlin is after them. The martins out turn the merlins and make quick dives to escape. The few successful catches have been when the merlin made a surprise attack and caught the martin off guard, usually down low near the colony.

Merlins mainly nest in Canada and are increasing in population. Merlins will nest in parts of the upper mid-west and northwest of America.

I don't think moving your martin housing out farther from the shore will have any impact on the merlin. Merlins will hunt martins and swallows over water.

Maybe this merlin is migratory and will head farther north.

Steve

[jeffwilliams72]

Steve definitely knows what he's talking about, I agree with him it's a Merlin.

[Mike E]

Hi Guys,
I have to apologize, The picture is one I pulled off the internet. I mistakenly thought they, the Merlin and Sharp-shinned were one in the same. My Bad! I not really sure which one it was. The info that I've seen says Merlins are migratory for So. Wisconsin. The raptor I saw was also around all last summer, which might mean its a Sharp-shinned. Anyway this little guy does'nt mind hunting the martins over open water. I will try to get a better look next time and see if the wings are sharper or more rounded on the ends and let you know. Maybe I can get a look while he is perched on the rack and see if he has boney knees(sharp shins)

Thanks
Mike

[bacato]

Here's a sharp shinned that ran into my kitchen window while chasing the finch - I came home right after it happened (several years ago). Pics aren't the best quality, but it outta give you some idea - at least on the size. The hawk was a beautiful specimen, was kinda pitiful.

[Louise Chambers]

The photos give a good idea of size, compared to smaller birds. Sharpies are not that large - this might be a male, which is slightly smaller than female. The bird it was chasing was a Pine Siskin, about size of a goldfinch.

[bacato]

You are right Louise, not sure why I called that a finch! I generally have lots of pine siskin in the winter - I was moving firewood in when I found these guys near the back porch. I have more pictures of it's underside, wasn't sure if it was appropriate to post them. Not every day you get to hold a hawk in your hands.

[Louise Chambers]

I would have done exactly what you did - used the opportunity to get a good look at the birds and photograph them.

[bacato]

[M.Stephens]

bacato those are really good pictures! I suggest you do a seperate posts with the pictures to give everyone a shot at looking at them. Not all threads are read by everyone but with a good title most anyone will look. Just a thought!: )

[Mike E]

Thanks for the pics. That looks like the one I have patrolling around here. I wish he would move farther back in the woods and leave the martins alone.

Mike