iN PHOTOS: One of the smallest, fiercest falcons in Kamloops, Okanagan skies
Merlins are fierce little falcons that hunt in urban and rural areas in Kamloops and the Okanagan year-round, but seeing them is tricky as they small and extremely fast.One of the smallest falcons in North America, merlins are roughly 25 centimetres long and weigh only 200 grams. They are also powerful fliers and skilled hunters that use surprise attacks when taking down prey. “They feed primarily on small birds so they can be found where small birds congregate, and food sources for small birds is likely to attract them as well,” said Kurtis Huston of Wild Birds Unlimited in Kamloops.Merlins have been observed working in pairs to hunt large flocks of waxwings, where one scatters the flock by attacking from below while the second comes in to take advantage of the confusion, according to All About Birds.Medieval European noblewomen once used the birds for sport to hunt skylarks. Falconers in Europe and North America still work with merlins to hunt a variety of small birds.The oldest known merlin was almost 12…
25 Oct 13:00 · iNFOnews.ca