Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Falco columbarius

Falco columbarius

9.9
A small falcon with dark feathers and a striped tail that hunts small birds
  • noun
  • /ˈfælkoʊ kəˈlʌmbəriəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Falco columbarius
  • The Falco columbarius is often seen hunting over open moorland during the winter.

Examples

  • Falconers have prized the Falco columbarius for its speed and agility for centuries.

  • Ornithologists observed several Falco columbarius nesting near the coastal cliffs.

  • The Falco columbarius is known for its speed and agility.

  • Did you see a Falco columbarius during the birdwatching trip?

  • Falconers have prized the Falco columbarius for its speed and agility for centuries.

  • Ornithologists observed several Falco columbarius nesting near the coastal cliffs.

  • The Falco columbarius is often seen hunting over open moorland during the winter.

Synonyms

merlin
vsFalco columbarius
1 9.3

A small falcon that chases songbirds

is the scientific name used in formal contexts rather than the common name
pigeon hawk
vsFalco columbarius
  • US
8.8

A small hunting bird that catches other birds like pigeons

is the formal scientific name rather than an occasional common label

Surface Forms

Falco columbarius singular
Falco columbarii singular

Morphology

Falco + columbarius

This is a Linnaean binomial: 'Falco' clearly signals a genus of falcons, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it names a kind of falcon. However, the species epithet 'columbarius' is Latin (no dictionary gloss provided) and the specific identity and traits of the merlin are not predictable from the parts alone, so the full meaning is not fully derivable.

Etymology

Falco columbarius comes from Latin words: Falco means 'falcon' and columbarius means 'of doves'. So the name gives the picture of a small falcon that hunts doves and pigeons, and that is why it is used for the bird we call the 'merlin' today.