Merlin or Kestrel (1 Viewer)

[condor1992]

Found at sunset at Warham Greens. Very small raptor, seemed uniform brown when evaluated. Took off in low level flight with rapid wingbeats. There were a lot of white patches under the tail

 

[Butty]

Please always give the country, region and date. Thanks.

 

[KenM]

Reading the description and looking at the structure I tend to agree with Merlin.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

I'll go with Kestrel purely on tail length in relation to body, 'a lot of white patches under the tail' would make it more likely also.

 

[condor1992]

I agree with merlin more. Both male and female merlins have white patches under the tail

 

[condor1992]

Something I should add- I was on my bike when it came in, following the terrain contour and flying about 1-2 meters off the ground before perching in the bush. When it took off, it also flew very low. I have not seen a kestrel do that, but I do see merlins do that

 

[Richard Prior]

Something I should add- I was on my bike when it came in, following the terrain contour and flying about 1-2 meters off the ground before perching in the bush. When it took off, it also flew very low. I have not seen a kestrel do that, but I do see merlins do that

Sounds like your mind was made up before seeking opinions!

 

[condor1992]

Not at all, just adding information I feel is relevant

 

[KC Foggin]

Merlin for me.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

Something I should add- I was on my bike when it came in, following the terrain contour and flying about 1-2 meters off the ground before perching in the bush. When it took off, it also flew very low. I have not seen a kestrel do that, but I do see merlins do that

It depends on what the bird has been doing. Kestrels fly low when they've just come up off the ground.

You'll notice that the bird is sat in almost the highest of the branches around; classic Kestrel behaviour on the look out for prey. Merlins on the other hand, employ surprise which means hunting from concealed perches.

If you look at the bird's talons in relation to the body, you can see that the undertail coverts and the tail is almost half the length of the bird's body, which is very much unlike a Merlin.

For illustration I've posted one of my pictures of a Merlin, much shorter tailed.

It's easy to think that the bird in your picture looks stocky and so more like a Merlin, but to me it has the exact shape of a Kestrel. Bird books say slimmer birds but Kestrels look puffed up like the bird in your picture many a time.

Anyway, I think you need one of the experts to comment at this point. I'd be surprised in the event one of them said 'shape looks more like a Merlin than a Kestrel'.

 

[RichieTwitchy]

Can't really add much here - except that you've got a nasty sensor spot that needs addressing.

 

[condor1992]

@lou salomon can you help? My photo shows a confusing falcon.

Some, including me, believe it is a merlin. I watched it come in at high speed and low over the ground to perch in the bush, after which it took off and again flew low over the ground. Did not hover. The proportions seem better for a merlin to me. I attach another photo

However, others say it is a kestrel. They say the overall shape fits a kestrel better in their opinion.

@PaulCountyDurham I have seen merlins use prominent perches in the past, I guess it happens with both of them just looks more like a kestrel

 

[lou salomon]

On first and second view it looks like a Kestrel to me. But I didn't post since I'm not entirely sure. Behaviour you described in my eyes would rather favour Kestrel - a Merlin would be gone.

 

[Bubbs]

The behaviour you describe is good for Merlin but the bird pictured has the bulk and stature of a Kestrel.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Given the conversation surrounding a much better picture recently, this is certainly, unidentifiable.

We have comments here stating that behaviour is 'good' for both Kestrel and Merlin and the picture, quite frankly, is not good enough.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

@PaulCountyDurham I have seen merlins use prominent perches in the past, I guess it happens with both of them just looks more like a kestrel

Fair enough, Condor.

I believe Merlins are most populous in Scotland and northern England, particularly the North Pennines and the North East coast parts of northern England (depending on time of year). I spend a lot of time in both places and very, very rarely see Merlins.

You're doing very well to see a number of Merlins in the tops of trees in Norfolk!

The reason I'm so confident it's a Kestrel is because we have loads of Kestrels 'round here, the habitat is perfect for them, it's unusual not to see a Kestrel in the space of driving a couple of miles down the road. The bird in your picture looks exactly like the Kestrels I see more or less every day, on shape and tail length alone.

There is a place near me on the coast that has both Merlin and Kestrel this time of year. I've seen photos of Merlins taken in that spot and they're always perched low down on the fences, whereas the Kestrels perch on top of the telegraph poles.

Are you planning on going back today and having a look around? That's what I'd do, particularly if I thought I'd seen a Merlin. Worth a try!