The famous common loon

[Spiel]

The famous common loon

 

 

May 22, 2009

ELIZABETH MATHESON / www.elliotlakestandard.ca

 

 

 

 

To northerners the mysterious and haunting call of the loon is a sign that winter has gone. The loons that return to our lakes each year are generally common loons, and Canada is home to 80% of the world’s common loons.

 

We have a special relationship with loons: they are Canada’s official bird, as well as Ontario’s, and, of course, our dollar coin featuring a loon is famous internationally as ‘the loonie.’ Perhaps we are attracted to loons because they are solitary and elusive, and therefore hard to get to know.

 

We do know that this beautiful bird, with its black head, white belly, famous necklace and black-and-white checkered back is a perfect advertisement for the artistry of Mother Nature. How many know, however, that this is the loon’s breeding plumage, the same for males and females, and that we might not recognize the loon the rest of the year? Although it inhabits freshwater lakes in the summer, it winters along the Atlantic coast as far south as Florida, where – in grey and brown plumage – it swims with other loons. Its diet of fish is brought in twice daily by the tides.

 

Open water is absolutely essential for loons. Most birds have hollow bones, whereas the loon is heavy, with solid bones and relatively small wings for its size. Its feet are so far back on its body that, on land, its breast rests on the ground and it can only push itself forward a few centimetres. It cannot take off from a ground position. On water, loons often need as much as half a kilometre, rushing along with much footwork and flapping of wings, in order to become airborne.

 

However, what is a liability on land becomes an asset in water.

 

Those solid bones and far-back feet make the loon a champion diver. In fact, its other name is great northern diver. Loons are believed able to dive as deep as 55 metres (180 feet) and remain submerged for several minutes. But they have a few tricks as well. They can come up just under the surface with only their bill above for air and then sink down again.

 

Loons return to the same lake each spring, and it is thought they mate with the same partner. Because they cannot walk, their nests are built beside water. Two olive-coloured speckled eggs are laid, each the size of 1 1/2 tennis balls. After 29 days, during which both parents share sitting duty, the chicks emerge already covered with black down. Within 12 hours a parent oils the down and the chick enters the water, never to return to the nest. Instead, it spends much time riding on a parent’s back where it can both rest and warm up.

 

Over the next eight weeks, while the parents provide their food, the chicks practice swimming, diving and catching what fish they can. At 11 weeks, they are taught to fly. This is the final job of the parents, which become increasingly detached until one day they leave. The chicks linger as autumn progresses, while practicing all they have learned and developing their grey and brown winter plumage. They must migrate before freeze-up, and one day they start their journey to the ocean where they will remain for four years before developing breeding plumage and returning to Canada.

 

When they finally return north they begin to reproduce. It is important for the species that breeding be successful because loons face many dangers. It is rare that two chicks will survive and make it to the ocean. If a loon is disturbed while nesting – for example, by ATVs, watercraft or unleashed dogs – it will abandon the eggs. For loons in general, swallowing lead sinkers and shot, acid rain, oil spills, pollution from toxic chemicals and shoreline development are major threats, all of them from humans.

 

Although loons are difficult to study, there is growing evidence of declining numbers. The future of loons now seems uncertain. Currently, several radio and TV commercials feature one of the loon’s distinctive calls. How ironic that this call is the one used by the loon to signify danger