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Travis County BirdingSearch
Search species and hotspots
Travis County BirdingSearch species and hotspots
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Hotspots with reports in the last 30 days.
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Birds of preyFalcons and Caracaras
Falco columbarius
The merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere, with numerous subspecies throughout North America and Eurasia. A bird of prey, the merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. Males typically have wingspans of 53–58 centimetres (21–23 in), with females being slightly larger. They are swift fliers and skilled hunters, which specialize in preying on small birds in the size range of sparrows to doves and medium-sized shorebirds. In recent decades, merlin populations in North America have been significantly increasing, with some merlins becoming so well adapted to city life that they forgo migration; in Europe, populations increased up to about 2000, but have been steady subsequently. The merlin has for centuries been well regarded as a falconry bird.
Read more on WikipediaWinter visitor · usually Sep–Apr
| Week | Checklists reporting it |
|---|---|
| Jan 1–7 | 0.9% |
| Jan 8–14 | 0.9% |
| Jan 15–21 | 1% |
| Jan 22–end | 1% |
| Feb 1–7 | 1% |
| Feb 8–14 | 2% |
| Feb 15–21 | 0.9% |
| Feb 22–end | 1% |
| Mar 1–7 | 1% |
| Mar 8–14 | 0.9% |
| Mar 15–21 | 0.6% |
| Mar 22–end | 0.6% |
| Apr 1–7 | 0.8% |
| Apr 8–14 | 0.4% |
| Apr 15–21 | 0.3% |
| Apr 22–end | <0.1% |
| May 1–7 | <0.1% |
| May 8–14 | 0% |
| May 15–21 | 0% |
| May 22–end | 0% |
| Jun 1–7 | 0% |
| Jun 8–14 | 0% |
| Jun 15–21 | 0% |
| Jun 22–end | 0% |
| Jul 1–7 | 0% |
| Jul 8–14 | 0% |
| Jul 15–21 | 0% |
| Jul 22–end | 0% |
| Aug 1–7 | 0% |
| Aug 8–14 | 0% |
| Aug 15–21 | 0% |
| Aug 22–end | <0.1% |
| Sep 1–7 | 0.2% |
| Sep 8–14 | 0.4% |
| Sep 15–21 | 0.4% |
| Sep 22–end | 0.9% |
| Oct 1–7 | 1% |
| Oct 8–14 | 2% |
| Oct 15–21 | 2% |
| Oct 22–end (now) | 2% |
| Nov 1–7 | 2% |
| Nov 8–14 | 2% |
| Nov 15–21 | 2% |
| Nov 22–end | 2% |
| Dec 1–7 | 1% |
| Dec 8–14 | 2% |
| Dec 15–21 | 1% |
| Dec 22–end | 1% |
Share of complete checklists at each hotspot that reported it (2016–2026). Hotspots with fewer than 15 checklists are left out, and the order discounts small samples, so a hotspot with few checklists can sit below one with a lower share.
From the eBird Basic Dataset (Sep-2026), complete checklists only.
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Also reported at 1 private location (not shown).
Updated 12:13 PM