Lovely Loons

Meet the birds that are most at home in the water

BY AMY GRISAK

46 Common loons may appear compact while bobbing in the water, but a loon’s wingspan is approximately 46 inches. 6 Loons have at least six distinct calls. The wail, tremolo, yodel and hoot are the most used. An adult typically hoots to communicate at close range with its young or its mate. 600 To heft their bodies into the air, loons need a long runway—as much as 600 feet of open water. 4 Common loons are special, but not one-of-a-kind. Four other species of loons are found in the United States and Canada. 70 Once airborne, a loon can reach speeds of 70 miles per hour 5 Adult loons might remain underwater for five minutes while searching for fish or other small prey. 1,000 A family of loons eats roughly 1,000 pounds of fish during the…

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Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, August/September 2022

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