Sibley's new book shows three different "populations" of Merlins in N
America, but it does not show any of them being present in N Idaho in the
winter. Last winter, however, I consistently saw at least two individuals
in N Post Falls, one on the Rathdrum Prairie, at least one in Coeur d'Alene,
and one in Moscow. All of these individuals, males and females, were of the
"Pacific (Black)" population ("suckleyi" race in NG3).

This winter I have been seeing both a male and a female "Pacific (Black)"
form in N Post Falls (south edge of Rathdrum Prairie). This afternoon I had
a close and prolonged look at a female "Prairie" form ("richardsonii" in
NG3). She was light gray-brown on the back, had finch-like striping on the
breast, had a distinct eye stripe, lacked a mustache mark under the eye, and
had a clearly banded tail (just like the illustration on p. 130 of Sibley -
all other Merlins, including another female I saw today, have been just like
the illustrated "Pacific"s on p. 130). She was distinctly different in
appearance.

I am wondering what forms others are seeing in Idaho, western Montana,
eastern Washington, and eastern Oregon.

Stephen Lindsay
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
slindsay at dmi.net