Falcons (Falconidae)
Baby merlins: from egg to fledgling
A Merlin lays 2–7 eggs. They hatch after 28–32 days, and the young leave the nest 25–35 days later — about 53–67 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 28–32 days
- Time in the nest
- 25–35 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 53–67 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Reuses old crow or magpie nests in conifers
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (28–32 days): 2–7 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (25–35 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season merlins mainly eat sparrows, waxwings and dragonflies.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young merlins are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1 per season.
When merlins nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Colorado (May) and latest in Alaska (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Jun–Jul |
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| British Columbia | Jun–Jul |
| Colorado | May–Jul |
| Idaho | May–Jul |
| Maine | Jun–Jul |
| Manitoba | Jun–Jul |
| Michigan | May–Jul |
| Minnesota | Jun–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| Nevada | May–Jul |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Jul |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Jun–Jul |
| Northwest Territories | Jun–Jul |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Jul |
| Nunavut | Jun–Jul |
| Ontario | Jun–Jul |
| Prince Edward Island | Jun–Jul |
| Quebec | Jun–Jul |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Jul |
| Utah | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | Jun–Jul |
| Wyoming | Jun–Jul |
| Yukon | Jun–Jul |
Found a baby Merlin?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about merlins
Frequently asked
How long do baby merlins stay in the nest?
About 25–35 days after hatching. Eggs take 28–32 days to hatch, so it is roughly 53–67 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Merlin lay?
2–7 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season.
Where do merlins nest?
Reuses old crow or magpie nests in conifers.
What should I do if I find a baby Merlin on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.