The Merlin (MERL) is about 10" long with a wingspan of 24" and a weight of 6.5 oz. (190g). The genus name Falco (FAL-koh) is Latin for hawk, referring to the hooked (falcate) shape of the claws.

The Northern Harrier is the bird of many names. It is the Marsh Hawk which cruises low over marshes and fields. It is the Hen Harrier, as it is called in Europe and Asia, presumably because it made off with a hen every now and then.

Cooper’s Hawk is our mid-sized woodland raptor which uses stealth and powerful flight thrusts to attack other birds and small mammals.  It will sometimes attack from behind shrubbery, but often hunts from a perch, remaining still until it strikes.