The merlin (falco columbariius) is a smallish, slender falcon that can sometimes be mistaken for a pigeon in flight because of its size, shape and gray and white coloring. They have even been called the pigeon hawk. A better look at the falcon's strong raptor head will straighten out that mistake. The merlin may even eat a pigeon that is almost as big as itself. Juveniles and females can have shades of brown coloration while the males have a touch of blue. There are three subspecies in North America. They are also present across Eurasia, in northern Africa and southern Asia. They are about 9.4–13 inches (24–33 cm) tall and have a 20–26 inch (50–67 cm) wingspan.
Their diet consists mainly of small grassland birds. They sneak up on birds, darting around banks, and over hills, flushing the smaller birds out of trees and shrubs and out-flying them to catch their prey. The are fast and agile and often catch birds in mid-air. They can also eat insects but prefer larger ones like dragonflies. If the mood strikes them, they may eat a bat, vole or reptile.
In the 60s and 70s there was a decline in their numbers and it was realized that the birds were very susceptible to pesticides like DDT. Once these chemicals were banned their numbers again increased. source
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