Check out this fierce little Merlin!
I spotted her few months ago while birding at the Alligator River NWR in eastern North Carolina.
It was really neat to see this tiny hunter bring it’s prize (a grasshopper) to her perch and then take delicate bites from her six legged snack.

Merlin’s are a species of falcon and if you look closely at their plumage, they share similarities with their larger cousins the Peregrine.
Both birds have sharply curved beaks for tearing flesh and razor sharp talons designed specifically for snaring prey in their clutched grasp.
Though Merlin’s are small compared to the Peregrine, both species are often seen hunting waterfowl. An interesting sight to imagine this demure falcon bringing down a duck but they do manage to do just that from time to time.
Whenever waterfowl aren’t on its menu, Merlin’s also hunt mice, voles, rats and even insects (as what’s shown in this series of photos below).

Though it is believed that they do breed in North Carolina, generally Merlin’s are an over-winter transient and migratory visitor to the Tarheel State.
As with the case of other raptors, they are usually spotted hunting above open tall grass fields.
Look for them during the winter months in higher numbers in our central & eastern coastal counties from September through March.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5