Merlin
MerlinMerlinMerlinMerlin

Merlin

Falco columbarius

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Soberanía National Park
69 Verified records at Soberanía National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The merlin (Falco columbarius) is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere, with numerous subspecies throughout North America and Eurasia. A bird of prey, the merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter. Males typically have wingspans of 53–58 centimetres (21–23 in), with females being slightly larger. They are swift fliers and skilled hunters, which specialize in preying on small birds in the size range of sparrows to doves and medium-sized shorebirds. In recent decades, merlin populations in North America have been significantly increasing, with some merlins becoming so well adapted to city life that they forgo migration; in Europe, populations increased up to about 2000, but have been steady subsequently. The merlin has for centuries been well regarded as a falconry bird. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Merlin sighting in Soberanía National Park, based on 69 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Soberanía National Park

Bat Falcon
LC

Bat Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco rufigularis

5–10% · With luck
Peregrine Falcon
LC

Peregrine Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco peregrinus

<5% · Rare
American Kestrel
LC Endemic

American Kestrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco sparverius

<5% · Rare
Crested Caracara

Crested Caracara

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Caracara plancus

10–20% · With luck
Collared Forest Falcon
LC

Collared Forest Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Micrastur semitorquatus

5–10% · With luck
Slaty-backed Forest Falcon
LC

Slaty-backed Forest Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Micrastur mirandollei

<5% · Rare
Red-throated Caracara
LC

Red-throated Caracara

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ibycter americanus

Insufficient data
Laughing Falcon
LC

Laughing Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Herpetotheres cachinnans

<5% · Rare
Barred Forest Falcon
LC

Barred Forest Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Micrastur ruficollis

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
5–10
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
2 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
3 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
4 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
5 Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park 🇯🇲 Jamaica
10–20%
6 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Main Ridge Forest Reserve 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
10–20%
8 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
9 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
10 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
11 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
10–20%
12 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
10–20%
13 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
14 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
15 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
16 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
17 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
18 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
5–10%
19 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
5–10%
20 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
21 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
22 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
23 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
5–10%
24 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
25 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
26 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
27 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
28 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
29 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
30 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
31 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
33 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
<5%
34 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
35 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
36 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
37 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
38 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
39 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
40 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
<5%
41 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
42 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
43 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
44 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
45 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
46 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
47 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
48 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
49 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
50 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
51 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
52 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
53 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
54 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
55 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
56 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
57 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
58 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
59 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
60 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
61 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
62 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
63 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
64 Hemis National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
65 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
66 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
67 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
68 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
69 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
70 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
71 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
72 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
73 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
74 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
75 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
76 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
77 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
78 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
79 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
80 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
81 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
82 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
83 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
84 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
85 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
86 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
87 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
88 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
89 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
90 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
91 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
92 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
Insufficient data
93 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
94 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
95 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
96 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
97 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
98 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
99 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
100 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
101 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
Insufficient data
102 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
103 Cajas National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
104 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
105 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
106 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
107 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
Insufficient data
108 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
109 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
110 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
111 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
112 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
Insufficient data
113 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
114 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Merlin in Soberanía National Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Merlin sighting in Soberanía National Park, based on 69 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Merlin in Soberanía National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Merlin in Soberanía National Park in our monthly data.

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