For The Love Of Loons

Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Statewide Information Officer

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While it is tempting to think of the estimated 200 common loons found in northwestern Montana as "Montana’s loons," in reality they belong to a broader, more challenging landscape. As a result, biologists who are studying the birds closely have a lot of unanswered questions.

Loons spend spring to fall in Montana nesting and raising their young, then migrate to the Washington or California coastline to winter. As "commuters" they endure increased recreation and lakeshore development in Montana; ocean traffic, oil spills and botulism on the Pacific coastline; and loss of habitat along the traditional migratory paths between.

Even a single threat could destabilize this important breeding population. Increasing the number of loons might help protect the population, so researchers are piecing together the bird’s historical habitat to see where additional birds might be able to nest. They think that habitat may have included most of western Montana, northern Utah and forested portions of Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Other questions that need answers are:

*        how many young loons successfully return to the state as adults?

*        what threats do they encounter?

*        how does increased human use on lakes affect the birds?

Federal State Wildlife Grants matched by other state, tribal and private funds—including contributions from the non-game wildlife check off on Montana income tax forms--are funding the research. About 20-30 loons will be banded by summer’s end, for a total of about 100 birds that will be tracked in the study. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are also planning a satellite radio implant project with adult loons. In total, about $230,800 in federal SWG and matching state and private funds is committed to loon research over the next four years.

A concurrent research project in California will help researchers follow the whole life cycle of the common loon for the first time.

Tracking loons is one of the best ways to learn more about them. Recently, a female was wintering on the Pacific coast in Morro Bay halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. In an amazing coincidence, the biologist who originally banded her seven years earlier in Montana, Darwin Long of the Bio Diversity Research Institute of Maine, recognized the leg band and confirmed the bird’s identity.

He observed her for months to catch the moment she lifted off from the salty waves to head north to nest. Volunteers watched and waited west of Whitefish to log her journey—the first time this has ever been done. One thousand miles and less than five days later she swooped in over Lower Stillwater Lake to settle on its frosty, fresh waters for the summer. Documenting her flight gave researchers important clues about the traditional migratory routes of loons.

One thing they could count on was that she would return to Montana. Loons hatched on Montana’s lakeshores faithfully return every summer. We may hear their haunting calls echo across glassy waters at dusk, or catch sight of their crisp black and white feathered tuxedos and piercing red eyes.

Both sexes build the nest and take turns incubating one to two eggs for the month it takes them to hatch. The chicks leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching and can swim, but ride on their parents backs the first couple of weeks to stay dry and warm. Loons eat fish, frogs, snails, leeches, crayfish and such.

Nesting loons are fiercely territorial and may chase waterfowl and other loons away from their nest. Nesting loons are easily disturbed, and will abandon a nest if they feel threatened. Though they live for about 20 years, over 50 percent die in the first two years of life.

Loon rangers play an important role each summer trying to preserve the loons’ solitude. Two to four students observe 25-30 northwestern Montana lakes where they put up signs to alert the public to nesting areas; may place floating buoys around nests; monitor nesting success; and talk to the public about how to avoid disturbing the nests.

Though we have a lot to learn about the common loon, research underway now will help us find some useful answers.

For a detailed description and to listen to loon calls, go to the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov under Wild Things. Click on the Field Guide and enter "common loon" in the search box.

         

Editors Note:

Loon research in Montana is supported by individuals, public and private organizations, tribal and other agencies including: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; Montana State University; the University of Montana; the Montana Department of Natural Resources; the Forest Service; several homeowner’s organizations; Plum Creek Timber Company; the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes; and Montana taxpayers who check the non-game check-off box on their state income tax forms. Volunteers in involved in loon-related projects include the members of the Montana Loon Society and many individuals who devote hundreds of hours a year to the state’s common loons.