Nevada · Year-round resident

Merlins in Nevada

When merlins are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.

Falcons (Falconidae)MerlinFalco columbarius

Status in Nevada: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–10a

When to expect merlins in Nevada

Merlins live in Nevada all year. Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.

Nesting in Nevada

Across Nevada, merlins typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.

Merlins don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine, gambel oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Nevada plants that attract merlins

Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 7 provide food or cover merlins use:

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa · Shrub

Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

Willow (Bebb)

Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Feeding merlins through the Nevada year

Top foods: None — it hunts the birds your feeders attract.
In Nevada's winter: Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south.

Full diet breakdown for merlins · Best feeder for merlins

Frequently asked

Are merlins in Nevada year-round?

Yes. Merlins are year-round residents in Nevada.

When do merlins nest in Nevada?

Nesting in Nevada typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–7 eggs, incubated for 28–32 days.

What native plants attract merlins in Nevada?

Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Rabbitbrush, Douglas fir, Willow (Bebb) are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for merlins.

Other backyard birds in Nevada

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Gambel's Quail California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Verdin Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Western Tanager Hooded Oriole Phainopepla Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Pinyon Jay Clark's Nutcracker Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Band-tailed Pigeon Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Cactus Wren Greater Roadrunner Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Rock Pigeon

Sources

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.