he most frequently asked questions about the birds of prey that reside at the center are:

“Are the birds of prey males or females?” and “What are their names?”

There are few definitive ways to determine sex because most birds of prey are identical in their plumage. There are a few exceptions though.

Northern Harriers, American Kestrels and Merlins all exhibit something call sexual dimorphism.

This means there is a difference in appearance either in plumage or size. And for some birds, like birds of prey, it means the females are larger.

Females are larger in order to produce eggs, create more body heat and are able to defend the nest, eggs, and offspring; while males are more agile, better hunters and require less food, which is a benefit when raising offspring.

Merlins are small falcons slightly larger than the American kestrel. Like all falcons, they have sharply pointed wings, a broad chest, and a strongly barred tail.

One of the key field marks that distinguishes Merlins from Peregrines and Prairie falcons is the very dark markings on the tails.

They do vary in their coloration both geographically and by gender. Adult male Merlins are gray to dark gray; females and immatures are brown.

Adult plumage becomes evident by their first year’s molt. Their chests are streaked, and the underwings are dark. The tails are dark and narrow with white bands, and the typical facial markings are less noticeable than on the faces of other falcons.

Telling males and females apart is not easy, but there are subtle differences. Males have a whiter marginal edge to their tails; where on the females, it is more buff-colored.

They prey almost exclusively on small birds, but they have been known to prey on rodents and insects. They hunt by short bursts of speed rather than going into a dive like the Peregrine falcons, and they do not hover like the American Kestrels. They fly powerfully with quick wing beats, pausing to glide only rarely. They also spend lengthy periods perched in open areas, scanning for prey.

Habitats include forested openings, beaches, fields, marshes and thickets, as well as towns and cities.

During migration and winter, they can be found in open forests, grasslands, and especially coastal areas with flocks of small songbirds or shorebirds.

There are three subspecies of Merlins in North America: “Black” Merlins of the Pacific Northwest, “Prairie” Merlins of Northern prairies and aspen parklands, and “Taiga” Merlins of northern forests, which have intermediate plumage. Six more subspecies live in Eurasia.

Merlins were once called “pigeon hawks” because in flight they look somewhat pigeon-like; not because they preyed upon pigeons.

Now as for their names, each bird that has a name has a story behind it.

My boss, Susan Gallagher, and her husband were discussing tires and Susan thought her husband, Jack, had adopted a rather posh British accent and was saying ‘falcon.’

He explained that Falken tires are high-performance tires. Taking into account how falcons are high-performance predators … it all makes sense! toAnd, coincidentally, male Merlins are known as “jacks” in the falconry world.

So, now the Merlin has been named “Falken” or Kenny for short. I hope in the warm weather, we can get him outside so everyone has a chance to meet him.

Jeannie Carl is a naturalist at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center in Summit Hill. The center rehabilitates injured animals and educates the public on a variety of wildlife found in the area.

For information on the Carbon County Environmental Center, visit www.carboneec.org.