When I was new to birding I wanted to learn how to identify each species I encountered by understanding their shape and plumage. After I had been birding for a while I began to key in on behavior as another consideration for correctly identifying a bird species. One behavior I picked up on very quickly because of my desire to find falcons was that American Kestrels, North America's smallest falcon, regularly perched on power lines that ran along road sides. The similar looking Merlin, a slightly larger and bulkier falcon which moves down from Canada and Alaska into the lower US states and Mexico during winter months seemed to avoid perching on wires. Instead, I always found them perched on posts, poles, buildings, and trees. After several years of birding and having never seen a Merlin perched on a wire I concluded that if a small falcon was seen on a wire it would be a Kestrel. I tested this behavior countless times and even at great distances. It seemed that my "sure fire" way to separate a Merlin from a Kestrel was validated by other birders, including very experienced birders. That was until this afternoon when I observed and photographed a Merlin that was perched on a power line near the entrance to my neighborhood. The wind was blowing quite a bit so the falcon was leaning into the wind as it perched.
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