Merlin vs Noctule

Falco columbarius compared with Nyctalus noctula

Key Differences

• Merlin is Least Concern while Noctule is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Merlin	Noctule
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Falconiformes (Falconiformes)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Falconidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Falco	Nyctalus
Species	Falco columbarius	Nyctalus noctula

Evolutionary Relationship

Merlin and Noctule share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Merlin

LC — Least Concern

Noctule

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Merlin	Noctule
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Merlin

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Noctule

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Merlin

Merlin (Falco columbarius) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Noctule

Noctule (Nyctalus noctula) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden