Merlin

The lightest and quite large subspecies. The male’s upper parts are pale-grey with buffy edges of feathers. Head is clay-reddish with narrow dark streaks. Under parts are whitish or pale-buffy with pattern formed by the very narrow streaks. Tail feathers are light grey with lack or very faint defined bars. The female’s upper parts are pale-sandy or clay-reddish with broad buffy bars. Under parts are light with pale-brown narrow streaks pattern. Male wing length 206-214 (210), female 208-233 (223) mm.