WildMaven’s World

The black and white checkered back, the elegant curve of the neck, the white band around its neck, the red eyes…they all come together to make a beautiful bird. Such a breathtaking site! Diving with barely a ripple under the water, calling out with its haunting song…what could ruin the image of this magnificent bird? When it’s out of water, of course! The loon’s legs are positioned on its body so far toward its rear, that when the poor bird is out of water it has to scoot around on its belly! Talk about an image breaker! But wait, there’s more! The loon becomes airborne almost with sheer will, sometimes taking 100 feet to achieve liftoff. And the landings are pretty much landings in name only. They more or less crash where they want to land.

It is in the water that the loon truly is in it’s element. With oxygen stored in the muscles for long dives, and bones that aren’t hollow like most birds, the loon achieves a “specific gravity” similar to water, enabling it to move almost as easily as we do through air.

I have never heard the call of a loon in the wild. Five different calls have been recognized, including the famous “laugh of the loon”. Ever hear the expression “crazy as a loon”? The sound can only be described as a the laugh of the insane.

Mating occurs with the male planting his feet on the female’s shoulders and wrapping his neck around hers. I’m still trying to picture that, and can’t quite figure out the logistics. They live in the Northern United States and Canada, with their migratory routes following both coasts. The Common Loon eats mostly fish and shellfish, hunting in shallow, clear waters, but they have been known to dive over 90 feet. Loss of habitat is the key reason the loon populations continue to decline. Also contributing is pollution of the waters, since it needs to see their prey to catch them. Guess they’ll soon have to settle for one of their less appetizing prey…leeches.

Native Americans have many legends about the loon. Some claim it’s mournful song means death. It may be, if we don’t listen, learn, and protect this amazing bird.