Where do yellow-billed loons live?

What can we learn from the yellow-billed loons?

Because Yellow-billed Loons are large-bodied, long-lived and return to the same breeding sites each year they are ideal for monitoring long-term trends in occupancy, density and distribution. They are indicators of water quality and provide insight into the movement of marine-derived nutrients and shifts in riparian or coastal environments.

Where do yellow-billed loon birds live?

Though it prefers freshwater pools or lakes in the tundra, the yellow-billed loon will also breed along rivers, estuaries or the coast in low-lying areas of the Arctic; in general, it avoids forested areas. Breeding typically starts in early June, though it is dependent on the timing of the spring thaw.

Where do loons nest?

Loons nest on inland lakes and rivers, migrating to the sea for winter. Summer plumages are black or grey, streaked and spotted in bold patterns with white.

How many yellow-billed loons have been fitted with satellite transmitters?

Jeff shared information from telemetry studies: from 2002-2019, a total of 92 Yellow-billed Loons were fitted with satellite transmitters to better understand their distribution, summer and year-round movements and survival across seasons. Researchers studied four populations of Yellow-billed Loons that breed in the U.S. and Canada.

What do Loons symbolize in indigenous cultures?

The otherworldly calls of loons punctuate the nighttime air in a chorus of mournful cries. However, some Indigenous cultures consider these birds to be anything but somber — for them, loons represent tranquility and renewal.

How long do loons live?

No one knows exactly how long common loons live in the wild. Some, such as the Animal Diversity Web, report that 9 years is as long as they live while others, like National Geographic, report 30 years.

What is the difference between a loon and a black-throated loon?

The Pacific loon ( Gavia pacifica) is the sister species of the black-throated loon ( G. arctica ). Loons (North America) or divers (United Kingdom / Ireland) are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia.

Is a yellow billed loon bigger than a common loon?

Since yellow-billed loons are the largest in the loon family, they’re bigger than pacific, arctic, red-throated, and common loons. #06. Pacific Loon

What does a loon nest look like?

Then one of the loons crawls on top of the mound and shapes the interior to the contours of its body. The finished nest is about 22 inches wide and looks like a clump of dead grasses by the edge of the water. Brown with dark splotches. Covered with down, sooty black with a white belly.

Are loons territorial?

Loons are easily disturbed during the nesting season and prefer to nest on lakes where there is little human activity. If there is too much disturbance, loons may abandon their nest. On its breeding ground, the Common Loon is highly territorial.

Why do Loons take over territories?

Territories that have produced chicks in the past year are especially prone to takeovers, because nonbreeding loons use chicks as cues to indicate high-quality territories. One-third of all territorial evictions among males result in the death of the owner; in contrast, female loons usually survive.

What does it mean to have a loon as your birth totem?

The Loon is monogamous, so having the Bird as your Birth Totem means devotion is essential in all of your relationships. Loon Medicine vibrates with the energy of love, family, and close friends.

What do we know about the survival of marked Loons?

Of course, we have studied hundreds of marked loons for over two decades, so we have learned a lot about survival patterns of the species. For example, we have learned that male loons have a higher rate of mortality than do females, and we have also determined statistically that loons senesce.

How do you identify a loon in winter?

But reliable identification of loons in winter is often difficult even for experts – particularly as the smaller immature birds look similar to winter-plumage adults, making size an unreliable means of identification.

Where do red-throated loon nest?

The red-throated loon, however, may nest colonially, several pairs close together, in small Arctic tarns and feed at sea or in larger lakes, ferrying the food in for the young.

What happens when a loon is in a nest?

Normally, a loon on the nest stays in a relaxed position with its head upright; however if loons feel threatened, they will assume a position in which they flatten their bodies low over the nest and crane their heads toward the water. They do this to prepare to escape from the nest into the water.

How many species of loons are there in Washington?

There are only five species of loons worldwide, and all five have been seen in Washington. Status: Common winter. Uncommon inland breeder. Common Loons are large water birds with thick necks and sharp bills.

What does it mean to have a loon totem?

As someone with a Loon Totem, you pay close attention to your dreams. You have a penchant for dreamwork, remember your night-time narratives with ease and enjoy helping others understand their dream messages. The Loon is monogamous, so having the Bird as your Birth Totem means devotion is essential in all of your relationships.

What is the power animal of Loon?

Call on the Loon Power Animal when you think your dreams are unachievable. Loon provides a boost to your confidence and hope. The Bird supports you in staying true to yourself and, in so doing, making your dreams manifest into reality.

What does it mean when loon is your spirit animal?

When Loon enters your life as a Spirit Animal, it’s announcing something “brewing” in your life. The Bird’s presence might portend a process through which you will struggle because it’s raw, new, and challenging. You will unveil unique gifts buried deep within your soul if you see matters through to the end.

Why do we love Loons?

Loons. We all love them. We all get a thrill when we see a loon or hear their haunting cries. A bit of research further expanded my appreciation for these creatures I have enjoyed my entire life. Here’s what I learned about this great symbol of wilderness.

How do Loons adapt to the ocean?

Once they reach the ocean, loons must adapt to life in salt water. Fortunately, loons have salt glands in their skull between their eyes that remove the salt from the water and fish they eat and excrete it from ducts in their beak. The ocean provides very clear, deep open water for the loons to dive and fish.

How well do Loons fly?

One might think that a bird that is such a good underwater swimmer may not fly very well. Not so. Loons move very well in the air too. They are strong flyers and can cover hundreds of miles in a straight flight. Loons can fly rather fast too. In fact, a migrating loon was tracked at 70 mph!

Where do Maine loons go in the winter?

Maine loons have short migratory routes, spending winters along the Maine coast, while loons that breed in the central US migrate to the Gulf of Mexico. Most people in Maine are very familiar with the wail of the Common Loon from across a lake.

What are the characteristics of a loon bird?

Loons are famous for their hauntingly eerie call. The sexes have similar plumage, but the males are larger than the females. They are similar to cormorants and penguins. All of these birds have webbed feet, float low in the water, and chase fish by swimming underwater.