Ringing sites of Merlin
(n=)Recovery sites of Merlin
(n=)Facts
Birds ringed| Birds ringed | | 21 |
| Ringed as chicks | | 3 (14,3%) |
Recoveries| No. of recoveries | | 2 |
| No. of individuals | | 2 |
| Proportion recovered | | 9,5% |
Merlin is a rare breeding bird and migratory visitor in the Faroes. The population is approximately 25 pairs. The subspecies
F. c. subaesalon is endemic to Iceland and the Faroes. 21 merlins have been ringed in the Faroes, most in Tórshavn (4), Saksun, Streymoy (3) and Nólsoy (3). Nine have been caught onboard ships in Faroese waters. Of the birds ringed, 16% were chicks, 47% 1st calendar year and 37% older birds. There are two recoveries of merlin ringed in the Faroes. One was ringed on 29 September 1990 in Viðareiði, Viðoy and recorded on 11 February 1991 on Skálafjørður, Eysturoy, 29 km SSW of the ringing site. The other was ringed along with 6 other merlins caught onboard a ship E of Suðuroy. The ringed bird, an adult male, was released on 3 October 2002 in Fossadal, Streymoy and found dead 2½ months later (15 December) in County Sligo in Ireland, 883 km south of the ringing site. Four merlins ringed abroad have been recovered in the Faroes. Three were ringed in Iceland and one in Scotland. The migratory behaviour and distribution of the Faroese breeding population remains uncertain.
Read more about the species in the chapter from
The Faroese Bird Migration Atlas here 
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