When do merlins arrive in Wisconsin?
The Merlin is a summer breeder in Wisconsin — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Merlin timing in Wisconsin
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Wisconsin, merlins are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Wisconsin sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. 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 Wisconsin. 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 May is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early May — the first merlins into Wisconsin are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around June, 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 Wisconsin
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Wisconsin-native plants are known to attract merlins:
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.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do merlins arrive in Wisconsin?
merlins typically arrive in Wisconsin around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do merlins leave Wisconsin?
Most merlins have left Wisconsin by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do merlins stay in Wisconsin all year?
No — in Wisconsin the Merlin is a summer breeder, present roughly May–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before merlins arrive in Wisconsin?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — 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 — Wisconsin
- 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.