When do merlins arrive in Michigan?
The Merlin is a summer breeder in Michigan — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Merlin timing in Michigan
- Arrives
- Around April
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- May–July
- Present roughly
- April–August
In Michigan, merlins are present through the warm months, arriving around April and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Michigan sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here tracks the continental average closely. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when merlins are expected in Michigan. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before April is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early April — the first merlins into Michigan are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around May, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What merlins eat while they're here
- Sparrows, waxwings and dragonflies
Increasingly a city nester, using old crow nests in conifers; hunts feeder flocks at speed.
Native plants that hold merlins in Michigan
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Michigan-native plants are known to attract merlins:
Seeds and dense winter shelter.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do merlins arrive in Michigan?
merlins typically arrive in Michigan around April, with nesting underway by May. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do merlins leave Michigan?
Most merlins have left Michigan by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do merlins stay in Michigan all year?
No — in Michigan the Merlin is a summer breeder, present roughly April–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before merlins arrive in Michigan?
Have feeders up and clean by early April — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: sparrows, waxwings and dragonflies.
Sources
- Merlin — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Merlin life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Merlin — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Michigan
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.