Where to see a Merlin in Minnesota
The Merlin is regularly recorded in the counties of 126 Minnesota state parks (eBird historical checklists). The strongest bets:
- Bear Head Lake State Park
- Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park
- Burntside State Forest
- Kabetogama State Forest
- McCarthy Beach State Park
- Lake Jeanette State Forest
- Cloquet Valley State Forest
- Sturgeon River State Forest
- Whiteface River State Forest
- Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area
- Itasca State Park
- Beltrami Island State Forest
- Zippel Bay State Park
- White Earth State Forest
- Northwest Angle State Forest
- Lake of the Woods State Forest
- Garden Island State Recreation Area
- Oronoco State Park
- Afton State Park
- William O'Brien State Park
- Fort Snelling State Park
- Camden State Park
- Hayes Lake State Park
- Monson Lake State Park
- Lost River State Forest
These are county-level records — the species is documented in the area around each park, which is a strong steer rather than a guarantee for the park itself.