Perches

 The type of perch you use will be influenced by the amount of space you have, where you have to keep your bird and the type of perch you have had success with in the past. More important than the actual perch is the perching surface. I manage merlins on a shelf perch and provide them with a variety of perching surfaces. (Shelf surfaces) Merlins have very delicate feet and problems are much easier to prevent than to cure.

  (Shelf surfaces) The main perching surface, as well as the front part of the shelf, is high-quality, dense, stadium Astroturf – it has a slightly rough texture and provides cushion under their feet. I put a section of long-leaf, “Welcome mat” type turf on the backside of the shelf. And finally I add a small square piece of a softer, thinner, stadium Astroturf on the front of the shelf. This may seem excessive but it’s the minuet details that will keep a merlin healthy. 

  A small bow perch works just fine for a merlin. And alternatively you can also quickly make a perch out of wood. (Trapezoid perch) It’s not a completely original design – I’m not sure where I saw the original – but I’ve made a few modifications over the years. It’s a wooden perch that is very easy to build and maintain. And most important I’ve never had a merlin tangle, bend a feather or have foot problems due to its perch.

I use this perch on the shelf perch or as a portable perch with a plywood base. Its shape is best described as a trapezoid with sides at a 45-degree angle. The main part of the perch is made from a 2X6 piece of lumber with a 1” dowel screwed to the top. The actual dimensions are probably not important as long as you give the bird sufficient area to perch. The perching surface on my perch is 6” wide and the bottom ends up at 12” (?) when the sides are cut at a 45-degree angle. In the photo you’ll see that I add a 4” ring to the center of the perch by cutting a 1” wide, 4” deep notch out of the center of the perch. If you tie the bird to the top of the perch she will be more apt to run the leash through her tail when she bates. The ring helps to prevent this by reducing the angle of the leash from where it ties to her anklets.

Another useful perch is the screen perch. (Screen perch) My screen perches are shoulder high and disassemble for portability. They are my perch of choice for road trips. I make my screen perches from 1” PVC and use a small chain repair link to attach directly to the swivel. (Screen attachment) Tip: Since I don’t put a bell on merlins, I attach a small bell to the perch to alert me if the bird is baiting or having trouble. (Perch bell) Again, make sure you use a good perching surface.

Portable Cadge