Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

Abundance: Very Uncommon (at least 50 records in 17 counties, 6 in Kentucky and 11 in Tennessee).

Status: Winter Resident (24 records during fall, one of which overlaps with a winter record; 20 records during winter, one of which overlaps with a fall record; and 6 records during spring); overall, more evident as a fall migrant than as a wintering raptor, but see Remarks below; photographs (see links below).

Regional High Count: 2 (2 records below).

Information on Records: 

20 April 1980 (1--age and sex unspecified) Brigadoon Farm, Barren County, Kentucky (Russell Starr; Stamm 1980c).

23 October 1985 (1--age and sex unspecified) Lovelady, Pickett County, Tennessee (Robbie C. Hassler; Stedman 1986a). 

11 January 1986 (1--age and sex unspecified) Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky (Russell Starr; Stamm 1986b).

24 September 1987 (1--age and sex unspecified) Cookeville Fire Tower, Putnam County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

30 December 1987 (1--age and sex unspecified) Smith County, Tennessee (Ruth V. McMillan, Melissa A. [Tucker] Turrentine; Stedman 1987c).

21 October 1989 (1--age and sex unspecified) City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

20 September 1991 (1--age and sex unspecified) Hidden Cove Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

1 April 1993 (1--age and sex unspecified) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

20 September 1993 (1--age and sex unspecified) ponds 11 km east of Monterey on Rt. 62, Putnam County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman).

22 October 1994 (1--female or immature) near Granville, Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al.).

6 October 1995 (1--age and sex unspecified) Rt. 52 east of Rugby, Scott County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman and Stedman 2002).

21 October 1995 (1--age and sex unspecified) Cumberland County, Tennessee (Fred J. Alsop, James M. Campbell; Knight 1996a).

27 January 1996 (1--age and sex unspecified) Bledsoe County, Tennessee (R. John Henderson; Knight 1996b).

15 April 1998 (1--age and sex unspecified) Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Busroe 1998c).

30 September 1998 (1--age and sex unspecified) Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Ginger K. Ensor, Michael Breen; Fekel 1999a).

20 December 1999 (1--age and sex unspecified) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Casteel 2000a), CBC record [count week only].

5 February 2000 (1--age and sex unspecified) Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Busroe 2000b).

6 December 2002 (1--adult male) Old Mill Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Casteel 2003b).

8 & 11 December 2002 (1--age and sex unspecified) Pulaski County, Kentucky  (Roseanna M. Denton; Busroe 2003b).   

12/13 January 2003 (1/2--age and sex unspecified) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton et al.; Busroe 2003b)

2 October 2003 (2--age and sex unspecified) Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

20 December 2003 (1--age and sex unspecified) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky   (Roseanna M. Denton). 

28, 30-31 December 2003/10 February 2004 (1--age and sex unspecified) Student's Home Rd., DeKalb County, Tennessee (Judy C. Fuson photo [30 December]; Casteel 2004b), CBC record; photo.

3 September 2004 (1--age and sex unspecified) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo), photo.

24 September 2004 (1--age and sex unspecified) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton)

10 October 2004 (1--age and sex unspecified) Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White County, Tennessee  (Richard L. Knight, Winston A. Walden et al.).

16 October 2004 (1--adult male) southern Adair County, Kentucky  (Stephen J. Stedman, Winston A. Walden; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2005a).

2 March 2005 (1--female or immature) Campground Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).  

25 April 2005 (1--age and sex unspecified) Obed Junction, Obed Wild and Scenic River, Morgan County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).

17 September 2005 (1--female or immature) near Brotherton, Putnam County, Tennessee (Winston A. Walden, Michael P. O'Rourke, Tom Saya unpubl. data), a Fall Bird Count record.

27 September 2005 (1--age and sex unspecified) Burnside Marina, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2006a).

4 December 2005 (1--age and sex unspecified) Plateau Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast photo, Anita F. Mast unpubl. data), photo.

5 December 2005 (1--adult male) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2006b), photo.

17 December 2005 (1--female or immature) eastern Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2006b), photo.

19 March 2006 (1--female or immature) Indian Creek Recreation Area, Smith County, Tennessee (Winston A. Walden unpubl. data).

21 September 2006 (1--age and sex unspecified) Fishing Creek, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

21 November 2006 (1--age and sex unspecified) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer unpubl. data).

30 December 2006 (1--male) Racetrack Rd., Pulaski County, Kentucky (Lynda M. Mills, Thomas B. Mills, Granville Cox, James Kiser; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2007b), a CBC record.

19 February 2007 (1--age and sex unspecified) Mark Wellborn Rd., Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2007b).

17 October 2007 (1--age and sex unspecified) near Leffle Webb Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand unpubl. data).

23/26 October 2007 (1--male) Sawyer's Landing, Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer/David L. Roemer, T. Aaron Hulsey unpubl. data).

17 November 2007 (1--immature or female) Lake Tansi, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand, Joseph E. Mast unpubl. data).

3 January & 29 February 2008 (1--female or immature) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo and unpubl. data), a CBC record (first sighting).

16 and 24 February 2008 (1--female or immature) Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data), a Great Backyard Bird Count record (first date).

27 September 2008 (1--probable female or immature) Eagle Point, Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park, Cumberland County/marina, Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park, Clinton County, Kentucky (Brainard Palmer-Ball et al./Don Martin unpubl. data).

12 November/15 December 2008 (1/1--unknown sex/male) Lake Hiawatha, Cumberland County, Tennessee (DJ Stanley/DJ Stanley photo, Joseph E. Mast unpubl. data).

27 December 2008 (1--female or immature) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Winston A. Walden, Catherine E. Walden unpubl. data), a CBC record.

3 January 2009 (1/1--females or immatures) Warren County, Tennessee (Winston A. Walden, Michael P. O'Rourke/Judy C. Fuson, Nancy S. Layzer, Carol D. Williams unpubl. data), CBC records.

13 October 2009 (1) Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer, David Brown unpubl. data).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Fall: 3 September 2004 (1--age and sex unspecified; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton photo).

    Late Spring: 25 April 2005 (1--age and sex unspecified; Morgan County, Tennessee; Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).

    Note: Because of increases in sightings during recent winters, this species' extreme dates are treated as for Winter Residents.

Habitat: Large open areas, often in agricultural settings, but not exclusively; tends to be present opportunistically where large concentrations of prey species are also present, as at shorebird concentration points (e. g., Fishing Creek Recreation Area in Pulaski County, Kentucky).

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: One registration (of 125 possible) during 2003 and one registration (of 206 possible) during 2004, indicating the general rarity of this fine falcon.

Remarks: Increasing as a migrant and especially as a winter resident in recent years, but still quite scarce, or at least very infrequently reported, at the latter season.

    A few records indicate prolonged attendance near one location during late fall and winter.

Counties with Observations (boldfaced):

To see a map (Figure 1) displaying the data in the table above, click on the boldfaced word in this sentence.

Literature Cited