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ALL ABOUT LOONS...
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT
THE COMMON LOON IN WISCONSIN
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
What do loons look like?
Loons are powerful, streamlined birds with red eyes, greenish-black head, long
tapered beak and black and white checkerboard plumage.
How Large are loons?
There are four species of loons that exist in the northern hemisphere. The
Common Loon, the Arctic Loon, the Yellow-Billed Loon, and the Red-Throated
Loon. The Common Loon is the only one found in northern Wisconsin, Michigan,
Minnesota and Canada whereas the other three species are found in northern
Canada and Alaska.
Are loons good swimmers?
Loons are supreme rulers of their aquatic domain. With legs located well back on
their sleek bodies, loons are superb swimmers easily capable of catching fish for
food.
Are loons good divers?
Unlike other marine birds, loons have dense bones which permit them to dive to
depths of 200 feet and remain submerged for five to ten minutes.
Do loons ever come to shore?
Loons do come ashore but only to nest. With legs positioned behind their balance
point, loons have great difficulty walking or even standing. It is not unusual for
loons to support some of their weight on land with their chests.
Why are loons' eyes red?
The red is caused by a pigment in the retina that filters light when loons dive
beneath the water's surface and allows for sight.
How can one tell the difference between the male and female
loon?
It is impossible to determine the sex of a loon without observing its internal organs.
LOON BEHAVIOR
Where do loons go during the winter?
Loons migrate south and east shortly before ice covers the lakes. Exactly where
they go is still not fully determined, although it is generally believed loons winter
somewhere along the southern Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.
Do loons migrate in flocks?
Yes. In late autumn, generally well before the great freeze, loons congregate on
large lakes and fly south together.
Do immature loons return to the North Country after their
first migration south?
Young and immature loons are believed to spend two or three years in coastal
waters before making their first trip back to the North Country.
How many loons inhabit a lake?
Loons are territorial birds and generally only one pair is found on each lake, except
for very large bodies of water where several pairs inhabit the lake.
What size body of water can support a loon population?
Research conducted by Wisconsin Project Loon Watch indicates that loons
inhabit
bodies of water as small as nine acres.
Why are loons sometimes observed in large gatherings during
the summer?
This is a social preparation to migration.
What do loons eat?
Loons feed primarily on fish, frogs, crayfish, mussels, leeches, and aquatic insects.
By the end of summer the young fledglings are capable of feeding themselves.
Why are loons observed running across the water?
Because of their large size and weight, loons require about 1/4 mile of lake surface
to become airborne and thus appear to run across the water before taking off.
Are loons strong fliers?
Once airborne, loons are powerful fliers. Pilots have checked them flying at speeds
up to 80 mph.
How do mates locate each other?
It is assumed that loons return to the same lake every year. Males claim the same
territory and await the female's return.
Why do loons make so many weird calls?
Loon calls have been identified into four classifications: Wail, tremolo, yodel and
hoot.
The wail is perhaps the call most frequently heard. A loon will wail when it
becomes separated from the chick or if its mate fails to return.
The tremolo is an aggressive response given when disturbed by a boater or
predator.
The yodel is also an expression of aggression and is given by the male during a
confrontation.
The hoot symbolizes a call of curiosity and/or happiness.
The sounds are apparently a learned communication between the birds.
To hear the richness of their harmonics is clearly a unique experience.
Why do loons sometimes stand up on the water with their
wings extended?
Loons rise up on the water to preen themselves, to stretch their wings or to dry
their wings after a dive.
When approached, why do loons sometimes stand up on the
water with their wings tacked to their sides, like penguins?
The "penguin dance" is a sign of extreme agitation. This behavior symbolizes
that
the loon's territory has been violated. The penguin dance is generally combined
with frantic calls and is one of the last defensive actions available to loons. Anyone
observing such a response should retreat immediately.
Why do chicks ride on their parents' backs?
With their young on their backs, the adult loon can provide better protection from
predators both above and beneath the water's surface. This is an opportunity for
the young to conserve energy and body heat.
LIFE CYCLE
Do loons mate for life?
Loons are believed to mate for life, but more research is needed in this area.
Do loons have a courtship ritual?
Yes. Courtship consists mainly of head dipping and shallow dives. In spring, loons
are frequently observed chasing each other across the surface of a lake. This is
primarily territorial behavior, not courtship ritual.
What does a loon nest look like?
The nest consists of reeds, sticks, grasses and muddy vegetation from the bottom
of lakes. This material is loosely formed in the shape of a mound, roughly 1.5 feet
in diameter, with a slight hollow in the middle. Both the male and female
participate in nest building which is completed by mid-May.
Where do loons construct their nests?
Because of their difficulty moving about the land, loons build nests within a few
inches of water. When a nesting loon is disturbed, it slips off the nest and
submerges to keep the location of its nest unknown.
How many eggs does a female lay?
Soon after construction of the nest, the female lays two eggs.
What size and color are loon eggs?
Loon eggs are roughly 3 1/2" by 2 1/4" in size with a thick shell and are
olive green
color speckled with brown spots.
How long do loons live?
The Common Loon may live twenty years or more.
How many loons are there in Wisconsin?
1995 statistics by Wisconsin Project LoonWatch estimated the loon
population of Wisconsin to be about 3,017 loons! We think it has continued to grow
and thrive A LOT since then.
"Flying Submarines..."
"The loon is the most primitive bird we know," Dr. Loonacy tells
a museum
audience.
(Dr. Loonacy is Denny Olson, a neat guy from Duluth, Minnesota, who goes
around educating about wildlife and nature -- often dressed as the character or
animal he is talking about).
"...With solid bones for diving, wings that seem too short for flying
due to the
loon's body shape and weight of 7 to 10 pounds, the loon is 'a flying submarine'
-- something man hasn't yet been able to duplicate," he says with a smile.
"...The loon nest is thrown together.... Loons lay one or two eggs --
and they turn
them over every two to four hours..."
"...While loons may reluctantly leave an egg that is stolen by a predator,
they will
launch an all-out attack to save their babies," Dr. Loonacy continues. "The
babies
are born helpless, and often ride on their mother's back for reasons of safety and
warmth..."
Loon Watch
A special note about loons from the Sigurd Olson
Environmental
Institute, Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin:
Imagine a northern lake without the haunting, mournful call and stately presence
of
the common loon. Although still abundant and widespread in most of Alaska and
Canada, the common loon's numbers and range have decreased in the lower 48
states of the U.S. The estimated 15,000 loons in the Upper Great Lakes States of
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan comprise nearly three-quarters of the loon
population outside of Alaska.
Research suggests that loon populations in Michigan and Wisconsin have
rebounded from drastic declines earlier in this century, and the loon population
in
Minnesota is still thriving. But many threats remain. Human activities are largely
responsible for the disappearance of loons from many lakes.
Development of shorelines and islands for summer homes, campgrounds, and
marinas has destroyed traditional nesting areas and other suitable sites. Disturbance
of loons, especially during sensitive nesting and chick-rearing periods, can reduce
or wipe out loon populations. Pollution of lakes used by nesting loons can lead to
accumulations of toxins in eggs and young and the loss of food for chicks and
adults.
In 1978, the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute initiated a loon-conservation
program in Wisconsin, and later, a similar program in Minnesota. In 1988, these
two loon projects merged into one program known as LoonWatch. LoonWatch
focuses its activities in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but its regional scope also covers
Michigan and Ontario.
Loons need clean, clear lakes and people who care about the quality of the
environment.
For more information about loons, contact Project LoonWatch, Sigurd
Olson Environmental Institute, Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin
54806; phone 715-682-1223.
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