It is that special time of year when naturalists are enthralled with the gentle parenting of the massive bird beloved by so many, the Common Loon. It is also the time of year when boaters need to take extra care to maintain headway speed only whenever they are within 200 feet of shore, because the delicate newly hatched babies are quickly and easily overcome with boat wake.
The cycle of birth for the loon starts in May, after the parents have returned to their natal grounds to establish their own territory and nest. Designed primarily as agile and proficient divers, loons only access land for one purpose, and that is nesting. Their legs are set far back on the body - making them powerful swimmers but extremely clumsy and vulnerable on land. Therefore, nests are typically near the edge of the water, allowing easy access for the loon if a retreat is needed, but also dangerously close to the waters' surface where it is easily swamped by boat wake or rising water from a significant series of storms. This remarkable bird was well hidden in the dappled afternoon light through the greenery - and I might not have seen it at all, had it not returned to the nest while I was drifting in my kayak and watching the pair fish.
The nest site is most commonly chosen by the male, and the nest itself is made up of mounded dead plant materials from the surrounding area. One of the pair will then climb into the nest, creating an interior that is the shape of the loons' body. From the water, the mound simply looks like dead debris, but in the interior lie 2 large, brown eggs with dark splotches. Most important is indeed the placement of the nest, but unfortunately, that location is often also the cause of nest failure. For these reasons, many active lakes with much shore development have started programs involving artificial nest platforms which are more easily accessed by the loons and which can rise and fall with variations of water levels from boat wake or storms.
The young can swim almost immediately after hatching, and within hours, are able to ride on the back of their parents. The initial attempts are quite amusing to witness, as the baby chick first crawls under the parent's wing -- with much splashing and kicking -- and eventually heads towards the rear of the adult, and slowly but surely, up on to the back for a ride, and a nap. It took this little one at least 5 tries to make it up and over, and it was so exhausted by the effort that it yawned over and over and over, eventually falling asleep and dropping it's head right back into the water! It is a tough world for a small chick!
The parents will dive, even with the chicks on their back -- causing them to pop back up to the surface like corks as they bob in the wake left by their parents. The chicks are frequently unattended while both parents are fishing -- sometimes at a great distance from the young. This leaves them vulnerable to predators, especially including hungry eagles who are also feeding young at this time of year. Snapping turtles, otter, and other larger predators will also feed on loon chicks at every opportunity -- particularly if the fiercely aggressive parents are not nearby to protect the young.
It takes a lot of time and effort for chicks to become self sufficent, and the parents have a significant amount of time and energy invested in their young. Initially, the parents bring exceptionally small fish and prey for the young to eat. The chicks know it is food, but have no idea what to do with it at first. This chick dropped this small fish at least 8 times before it managed to eat it -- and each time, the parent patiently caught the still live fish, and presented it again until the chick managed to eat it. This is repeated many times every hour with each chick. Gradually, they become more adept at eating, and larger and larger fish are brought by the parent.
In the roughly 15 weeks that the adults will continue to feed their young, it is estimated that this one small family (2 adults + 2 chicks) will eat approximately ONE HALF TON of fish! This particular pair of loons was fishing under my kayak in clear, shallow water - and I was able to witness something I had never before seen -- a loon pursuing fish underwater. The speed and agility of these remarkable animals is incredible to witness - including the smooth, fast turns and accuracy of the catch. This is made easier by the fact that loons have solid bones and quite a heavy body making them very adept at underwater work but slow and clumsy on land -- as well as needing a long distance to have an effective flight take off. These small bundles of chick fuzz have much to learn before they become self sufficient. In addition to mastering fishing, they will also eventually eat a variety of other animals, including crustaceans, snails, and leeches.
These birds are remarkably long-lived, with the oldest identified bird living to be almost 30. As such, they also wait for a long period before breeding and generally only produce 2 eggs per year with a high chick mortality rate. Young loons will head to the ocean, and won't return to their natal grounds for several years. On average, they will be about 6 years old before they choose to establish a territory and mate.
For the lucky ones amongst us, the call of the loon will be the first sound heard in the morning, as well as the last laugh of the evening. Enjoy these iconic signs of summer in the northern wilderness, for all too soon their freshwater breeding grounds will become still and silent as the birds move to their coastal wintering grounds to wait for the lakes to once again become ready for their return.