Merlin (Falco columbarius)Where and when to see it in the UK
Status not yet classified · reporting peaks October · Falcons and Caracaras · BOU category AF
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Merlin has been recorded in 1,684 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (57%) in records to 2026. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in October.
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, LC)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 100% or more of visits
- High
- 5% to 100%
- Moderate
- 2% to 5%
- Low
- under 2%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42% | 1% | Very high |
| February | 34% | <1% | Very high |
| March | 27% | <1% | Very high |
| April | 23% | <1% | Very high |
| May | 8% | <1% | Very high |
| June | 5% | <1% | Very high |
| July | 8% | <1% | Very high |
| August | 26% | <1% | Very high |
| September | 51% | 1% | Very high |
| October | 100% | 3% | High |
| November | 59% | 2% | Very high |
| December | 43% | 1% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in October
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| HU25 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HU37 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HU57 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HZ26 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| J22 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| NB23 | Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NB32 | Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NB35 | Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| ND29 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| ND37 | Highland, Scotland | 100% | Very high |