Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae)

Merlin (Falco columbarius) - HBW 2, p. 267

French: Faucon émerillon German: Merlin Spanish: Esmerejón
Other common names: Pigeon Hawk

Taxonomy: Falco columbarius Linnaeus, 1758, America = South Carolina.
Formerly placed in genus Aesalon. Has been allied with F. chicquera, but no clear relationship. Nine subspecies normally recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

subaesalon C. L. Brehm, 1827 - Iceland.
aesalon Tunstall, 1771 - N Eurasia, from Faeroes E to C Siberia.
insignis (Clark, 1907) - Siberia, E of R Yenisey to R Kolyma.

See all 9 subspecies

subaesalon C. L. Brehm, 1827 - Iceland.
aesalon Tunstall, 1771 - N Eurasia, from Faeroes E to C Siberia.
insignis (Clark, 1907) - Siberia, E of R Yenisey to R Kolyma.
pacificus (Stegmann, 1929) - Soviet Far E, including Sakhalin I.
pallidus (Sushkin, 1900) - steppes of Asia, from near Aral Sea to Altai Mts.
lymani Bangs, 1913 - mountains of C Asia, in Turkestan, E Russia, NW China and Mongolia.
suckleyi Ridgway, 1873 - Pacific coast of North America, from Alaska and British Columbia to N Washington.
columbarius Linnaeus, 1758 - North America, except Pacific coast and Great Plains.
richardsoni Ridgway, 1871 - Great Plains of North America, from C Alberta S to Wyoming.