Merlins are small compact falcons. Like all falcons they are fast flying and catch prey while airborne. Until 2008 no known nesting Merlins were found in the Seattle area. That all changed when a few dedicated volunteers for Seattle Audubon started following a pair of Merlins in their neighborhood. Before you could blink, the pair built a nest in the Victory Heights neighborhood and successfully fledged 5 young. The following year (2009), the same pair of Merlins moved a few miles north, still in the Victory Heights neighborhood and once again successfully fledged several Merlin.  Recently, a couple of  volunteers have spotted the Merlin pair near last year's nest and fingers are crossed that they will once again decide to raise their family in North Seattle making it three years in a row.

During the two years that the Merlins have been watched and cared for by the dedicated group of volunteers Seattle Audubon has been fortunate to have many contact hours with neighbors and the general public. Volunteer ambassadors from Seattle Audubon have helped citizens understand the unique opportunity the Merlins provide for their neighborhood and the importance of tall mature conifers.  

Seattle Audubon highlighted the Merlin project at one of their membership meetings and a neighborhood tree meeting was held in the winter of 2008. Seattle Audubon, Plant Amnesty and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife presented on various aspects of urban wildlife and the importance of trees in ensuring these charismatic birds remain in our backyards.

Join Us Again on March 11 at Meadowbrook Community Center (6:30 - 9:00 pm) in North Seattle as volunteers and neighbors will once again host a community meeting to discuss the importance of trees not only to these magnificent birds but also for the livability of our neighborhoods.  See the event flyer here.