Loons – Margaret Boudreau 
Loon – Dan Bray
Common Loon (Gavia immer)
For many Canadians, the call of the loon is one of the quintessential sounds of summer; the haunting calls conjure images of evenings on the lake and sunsets. For others, it is a national symbol emblazoned on our one dollar coin, aptly nicknamed the loonie. Whatever your association, this aquatic bird certainly offers one of the easiest birdsongs to recognize; each of its four calls can be heard here: https://loon.org/the-call-of-the-loon/.
There are three species of loon in Nova Scotia but the most common species is known, unsurprisingly, as the common loon. A group of loons is identified by many interesting names: a loomery of loons, a cry of loons, an asylum of loons (which goes nicely with the colloquial expression of “crazy as a loon!”), a raft of loons, or the whimsical sounding “water dance” of loons.
Appearance and Diet
Unlike most birds, male and female loons have nearly identical plumage, making the black and white feathered birds difficult to tell apart by sight, although males are slightly larger. Their notable red eyes may help them to filter colour underwater as they hunt. Unlike ducks, a loon will never bob in the water with its tail in the air. Instead, loons dive under water for up to 60 seconds to search for and catch prey. If distressed or hiding from a predator, they can remain underwater for up to three minutes. They are muscular creatures with denser bones than the bones of other birds of flight, allowing them to dive more easily into the water in search of fish. Loons eat a variety of fish as well as other available prey, such as frogs, snails, and the occasional crustacean during their winters on the ocean. Remarkably, they eat up to two pounds of fish in a day! If you have ever wondered how aquatic birds are able to drink seawater, you are not alone. Scientists have used loons and other ocean-dwelling birds to study how to efficiently remove salt from water for drinking, a process called desalination.
Behaviour
Loons are territorial birds and display defensive behaviour and specific calls when approached by humans or other potential threats. If accidentally approached, loons may “wing row” away, as they often use their wings to assist in paddling when startled, if they do not take flight. They are clumsy on land, as their legs are situated far back on their bodies to aid in swimming and diving, and they spend most of their lives on the water. Though not aggressive, they will protect their chicks and hunting grounds, and should not be disturbed.
Breeding
Loons have a patchwork sleep pattern, comprised of brief naps throughout the day and night, on the water, with their heads tucked into their shoulders. They make their nests near the water and lay one to two eggs at a time, repeating the process if the eggs do not hatch successfully after about four weeks. Chicks stay with the parents for about three months, until they are fledglings and can fly on their own. This demonstrates a high level of parental care in the animal world and limits the number of offspring loons can have. A typical loon pair only raises one chick to adulthood every two years; any other chicks are usually killed by predators, damage to nests, habitat loss, or other threats. Fortunately, a typical loon lives up to 30 years, so they have many summers to mate and build more nests.
Loons usually spend the summer months on inland freshwater lakes and migrate to the coast for winter. They often return to the same lake summer after summer, though they do not necessarily mate for life and may return without the previous summer’s mate.
Jokes
Why are loons always by themselves?
Because they are a loon!
What do you call a loon that floats in the air?
A balloon!
Sarah Silver Slayer
