{"id":2018,"date":"2019-10-10T05:13:38","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T05:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/?p=2018"},"modified":"2019-12-02T05:24:02","modified_gmt":"2019-12-02T05:24:02","slug":"forever-a-loon-an-introduction-to-the-common-loon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/2019\/10\/10\/forever-a-loon-an-introduction-to-the-common-loon\/","title":{"rendered":"Forever A-Loon: Canada&#8217;s Notorious Water Bird"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Part 1: An Introduction to the Common Loon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a peaceful July evening in northern Canada&#8217;s lake country. The sun is setting, and the water has turned into a reflective surface for the vibrant sky. The temperature drops a degree and everything seems to calm as you settle into your Adirondack chair on the dock. Then, out of nowhere echoes the hauntingly beautiful call of one of Canada\u2019s most notorious water birds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/snd-1-965-3-6254275519624282111_1.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption>Common Loon &#8220;Wail&#8221;: Used to locate mates. Full body chills!<br>(Audio from <a href=\"https:\/\/search.macaulaylibrary.org\/catalog?taxonCode=comloo&amp;mediaType=a&amp;sort=rating_rank_desc&amp;__hstc=75100365.58e279a44ac7cd79c7060572457a628d.1567793427152.1570682246333.1570756998284.8&amp;__hssc=75100365.11.1570756998284&amp;__hsfp=3099125837#_ga=2.130554575.1716006931.1570757207-1990824518.1567798311\">Macaulay Library<\/a>)<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>Perhaps you have no idea of what I speak. In this case, I urge you to empty your pockets and take a peek at your Canadian one-dollar coin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Description and Identification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/31755041-720px.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2027\" width=\"436\" height=\"413\" \/><figcaption>Common Loon range map (photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Common_Loon\/maps-range\">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The common loon (<em>Gavia Immer<\/em>) is one of five species across North America and Northern Eurasia that make up the genus <em>Gavia<\/em>. <em>Gavia<\/em> are known for being clumsy, primitive water birds. In summer months, the common loon can be spotted in Northern lakes, and is distinguishable by its breeding plumage; beautiful black and white feathers and a ruby red eye. In winter, the common loon migrates to coastal ocean waters, and resembles its juvenile plumage with relatively drab greys and browns. (<a href=\"http:\/\/ https:\/\/birdsna.org\/Species-Account\/bna\/species\/comloo\/introduction\">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2010<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The common loon is much larger than most people think. With a wingspan of over 4 feet, a common loon with outstretched wings is about as long as a 7-year-old child is tall (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.livestrong.com\/article\/328220-the-average-height-and-weight-by-age\/\">Livestrong, 2019<\/a>). Not only are they large, but <em>Gavia<\/em> genus birds are also extremely heavy compared to land birds of the same size, weighing in at over 13 lbs. This stark difference in weight can be attributed to the bones of diving birds. While most birds have adapted hollow bones to assist in flight, loons have solid bones. This allows them to dive deep and swim quickly but comes at the cost of rapid take-off (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Common_Loon\/#_ga=2.177341925.1169175565.1569377976-1990824518.1567798311\">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2010<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"351\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.25.45-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2021\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.25.45-PM.png 1021w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.25.45-PM-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.25.45-PM-768x264.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\" \/><figcaption>The Common Loon in breeding plumage (left) and non-breeding plumage (right)<br>(photos by <a href=\"https:\/\/hiscreation.com\/node\/1137\">John Picken<\/a>&#8211; L, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbw.com\/ibc\/photo\/common-loon-gavia-immer\/swimming-bird-non-breeding-plumage\">Peter Vercruijsse<\/a>&#8211; R)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Behaviour <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Loons need to be fantastic swimmers because the majority of their food dwells in the water. Loons typically feed on fish but will settle for frogs, crayfish, mussels, leeches, and aquatic insects. They rely on their eyesight to catch their prey. When ready to dive, loons can exhale and flatten their feathers to remove air (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Common_Loon\/overview\">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2010<\/a>). Powerful hind legs propel their heavy bodies toward prey, and solid bones provide mass and eliminate buoyancy. These strong hind legs are set further back than most birds to provide the loon with exceptional diving skills (up to 90m!) but are paid for by clumsy locomotion on land. Instead of staying upright like ducks, loons use a push and slide technique on land- it\u2019s no surprise they spend so much time in the water (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/pdf\/j.ctt20mvf4m.7.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Ac22d46c6a879c646d7e1bc843077ad5b\">University of Iowa Press, 2009<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/jeb.biologists.org\/content\/221\/19\/jeb168831\">Clifton &amp; Biewener, 2019<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/AdmiredDarlingHerald-size_restricted.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2022\" width=\"512\" height=\"289\" \/><figcaption>The most graceful bird: A lumbering loon on land (Original video from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Kq-tGVPKMTY\">Dj Zemenick)<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately for loons, what makes them so good at swimming sometimes becomes their demise. Like airplanes, they require a long runway of water to paddle themselves into flight. When flying at night and in low visibility weather, loons have been recorded to land on small lakes and ponds (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Common_Loon\/overview\">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2010<\/a>). With not enough room to take-off, they become stranded and eventually die where they landed. Similarly, loons can mistake parking lots and roadways for clear water in the dark. This results in crash landings, and even if the loon survives, it can\u2019t take off to feed, find a mate, and have hatchlings (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/glac\/learn\/nature\/upload\/Citizen%20Science%20for%20Common%20Loon%20Monitoring%20Education%20Presentation.pdf\">Glacier National Park, 2005<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nesting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite their poor adaptations to land, loons haven\u2019t yet evolved an effective way to nest in the water. Instead, they build nests within 50cm of the water\u2019s edge. Both females and males contribute to nest construction on islands or backwaters, using cattails, grasses, and twigs (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/3801642?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents\">Strong, Bissonette &amp; Fair, 1987<\/a>). Loons occupy their breeding grounds immediately after the ice melts on the lakes. Within a month, adorable downy black-brown hatchlings with awkwardly positioned legs take their first wobbles. However, the awkwardness pays off quickly. Within 2-3 days, newly hatched loons can dive and swim underwater (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/common-loon\">Audubon, 2019<\/a>). The young tend to hitch a ride on parents\u2019 backs to conserve warmth and energy until they can fly at 10-11 weeks (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.sbaa.ca\/projects.asp?cn=303\">Algonquin Park, 2004<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/image-2-1024x693.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2023\" width=\"473\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/image-2-1024x693.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/image-2-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/image-2-768x520.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/image-2.png 1331w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/><figcaption>A loon egg compared to a hummingbird egg and an american nickel (Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/dkphoto.photoshelter.com\/image\/I00004VJmfm8bop0\">Dwight Kuhn<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quickly after hatching, juvenile common loons learn the definition of tough love. Parents flock south on their own and leave the juveniles behind. Luckily, the young birds find solace in each other and flock to coastal ocean waters together. The juveniles stay in coastal habitats for 2 years, then return to northern lakes to breed and have young of their own (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jeaniron.ca\/2014\/loon2ID.htm\">Pittaway &amp; King, 2019<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only will breeding common loons usually return to the same nest the following year, but they will often return with the same mate. Despite this blog title, loons are genetically monogamous birds. Much like (some) humans, they find a mate and stick with them. Rarely is there extra-pair copulation during this time (<a href=\"https:\/\/loonproject.org\/do-loons-mate-for-life\/\">The Loon Project, 2018<\/a>). When separated, both the male and the female make extensive efforts to locate their counterparts (<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s002650050360.pdf\">Piper et al., 1997<\/a>). In fact, part of this localization attempt comes in the form of the iconic eerie call heard at the beginning of this blog. One loon calls out and waits for the other to reply to guide its search efforts. The next time you hear a loon call, just think- you\u2019re listening to a bird version of Marco Polo (<a href=\"https:\/\/academy.allaboutbirds.org\/im-here-where-are-you-the-wails-of-the-common-loon\/\">The Cornell Lab, 2018<\/a>)! The loons have a completely different sound to signal alarm, heard below. That&#8217;s pretty neat!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/snd-1-965-34021981465099338917_1.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption>Common Loon &#8220;Tremolo&#8221;: Used to signal alarm<br>(Audio from <a href=\"https:\/\/search.macaulaylibrary.org\/catalog?taxonCode=comloo&amp;mediaType=a&amp;sort=rating_rank_desc&amp;__hstc=75100365.58e279a44ac7cd79c7060572457a628d.1567793427152.1570682246333.1570756998284.8&amp;__hssc=75100365.11.1570756998284&amp;__hsfp=3099125837#_ga=2.130554575.1716006931.1570757207-1990824518.1567798311\">Macaulay Library<\/a>)<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Conservation Status<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, loons are considered \u201cclimate endangered\u201d. While their population has decreased slightly due to human disturbance on once untouched lakes, there is a larger threat at hand. Within 60 years, Audubon suspects that Common loons will lose 56% of their summer range and 75% of their winter range due to global warming (<a href=\"https:\/\/climate.audubon.org\/birds\/comloo\/common-loon\">Audubon, 2019<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Part 2: Flooding and Fledglings- The Impact of Climate Change on Common Loon Nesting Success <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"398\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/common-loon-chick-nadler-1800x700-1024x398.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2036\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/common-loon-chick-nadler-1800x700-1024x398.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/common-loon-chick-nadler-1800x700-300x117.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/common-loon-chick-nadler-1800x700-768x299.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/common-loon-chick-nadler-1800x700.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Freeloading fluffers (Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/vtecostudies.org\/blog\/vermont-common-loons-the-limits-of-success\/\">Jeff Nadler<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As mentioned above, loons are clumsy land trotters. They can\u2019t effectively travel long distances so they form their nests very close to the shoreline to avoid the awkward shuffle. Male loons choose suitable real estate, and the pair get to work scavenging vegetation for a nest. However, the fact that nests are only 10cm above the water surface causes a critical issue when water levels are unpredictable (<a href=\"https:\/\/wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/jwmg.608\">Windels et al., 2013<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2019, the Lake of Ontario experienced huge flooding for the second time in three years. Contrastingly, in 2013 Lake of Ontario water levels were extremely low. According to specialists, teetering in hydrology is due primarily to climate change; more specifically three key aspects: precipitation over the lakes, evaporation over the lakes, and runoff (<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0119253#sec001\">Molinos et al., 2015<\/a>). As the earth heats up, more evaporation occurs and water levels decrease. High temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more water, causing larger dumps of rain, thus increasing flooding. All this is a fancy way of saying that climate change causes fluctuating and unpredictable water levels (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/\">Rood &amp; Gronewald, 2019<\/a>). Definitely bizarre, but what does this have to do with loons? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Drone Footage of Flooded Pier in Port Dalhousie on Lake Ontario June 2019\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/T3GI0fQuon4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Drone footage of 2019 Lake Ontario flooding at a usually populated pier (Video by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=T3GI0fQuon4\">mbujok<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jwmg.608#accessDenialLayout\">Minnesota study<\/a><\/strong> published in 2013 demonstrated the devastating impact climate change has on common loon nesting habits. Through advanced analysis techniques, researchers monitored the success of nests built 7-10 cms above the waterline. In 2 years, almost 37% of nests were unsuccessful due to flooding or stranding from rising water levels. That\u2019s a high number of loons that go without producing young due to human-caused climate change (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/\">Windels et al., 2013<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately, common loons are real troopers and don&#8217;t give up without a fight. In the case of gradually rising water, loons were recorded to use cattails and bog mats for buffing up the nest edge, almost like how humans sandbag. In preservation efforts, conservation teams also provide loons with floating nest platforms to re-nest on (<a href=\"https:\/\/bioone.org\/journals\/waterbirds\/volume-37\/issue-sp1\/063.037.sp113\/Common-Loon-Gavia-immer-Nesting-Habitat-Models-for-North-Central\/10.1675\/063.037.sp113.full\">Rodomski, Carlson, &amp; Woizeschke, 2014)<\/a>. In the case of disaster, loons were observed to re-nest up to 2 times before the end of the breeding season. Through sheer resiliance, 77 nests were rebuilt, of which 19 were successful (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/\">Windels et al., 2013<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"335\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.51.32-PM-1024x335.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.51.32-PM.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.51.32-PM-300x98.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/files\/2019\/10\/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-9.51.32-PM-768x251.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Photo: Loon &#8220;sand-bagging&#8221; vs human sand-bagging (Photos by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heraldsun.com.au\/leader\/south-east\/3-million-rock-seawall-to-be-built-at-eroding-portsea-beach\/news-story\/d94ca4c87ec8a5ef867dc128a11a6ddf\">The Herald Sun <\/a>-L and <a href=\"https:\/\/vtecostudies.org\/blog\/loons-and-late-ice\/\">Jeff Nadler <\/a>-R)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So why don\u2019t loons just build their nests higher away from the water and waddle a bit further? While loons are the top predator of a lot of smaller aquatic trophic systems, they don\u2019t fare so well in the vast world of land predators. The adult loon itself has few known predators; notably large raptors, like eagles, hawks, and ospreys. By coming further out of the water, the adult loon has a higher chance of being spotted by a hungry predator. Refer to the GIF above displaying how loons move on land- Not a fair fight. Of even greater importance, however, is the susceptibility of the nestlings. When the adult common loons can\u2019t protect their nests quickly from the water, and the nests are more visible to predators, nestlings and eggs become a quick snack for snapping turtles, gulls, crows, ravens, skunks, minks, etc (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwf.org\/Educational-Resources\/Wildlife-Guide\/Birds\/Common-Loon\">National Wildlife Federation, 2019<\/a>). The same study showed that while flooding was significant, the largest number of nests were unsuccessful due to predation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/\">Windels et al., 2013<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Eagle Attacks Loon Chick\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VbZIw1-pHdc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Newly hatched loon being plucked from its nest by a bald-eagle. While I like to imagine the eagle has taken the loon to raise it as its own and give it a better life, that is likely not the case. (Video by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VbZIw1-pHdc\">Loon Preservation Society<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It seems loons just can&#8217;t win. Loon success decreases with rising water levels. It is hypothesized that loon survival rates will also decrease under low water conditions, as nests will be built further inland and loon nestlings will make a quick snack for bigger birds (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/\">Windels et al., 2013<\/a>). Fluctuating water levels play a crucial role in loon conservation, and experts suspect that by the end of the century, the only place to see a loon may be on the back of a loonie (<a href=\"https:\/\/climate.audubon.org\/birds\/comloo\/common-loon\">Audubon, 2019<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So what can you do? Firstly, you can spread the word. Inform your friends about declining bird populations. Since my original post, the Canadian federal election has concluded. However, you can still write letters to part leaders and people in power to elicit change.  Additionally, individual actions matter. Reduce your emissions, reduce your single-use plastics, and vote with your dollars. Not sure where to start? Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.footprintcalculator.org\/signup\">this calculator<\/a> to analyze your ecological footprint, and find where you can cut back. Do it for the common loon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">References: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Audubon (2019) Guide to North America\u2019s Birds. (Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/common-loon\">https:\/\/www.audubon.org\/field-guide\/bird\/common-loon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Audubon (2019) The Climate Report: Focal Species- Common\nLoon. (Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/climate2014.audubon.org\/birds\/comloo\/common-loon\">https:\/\/climate2014.audubon.org\/birds\/comloo\/common-loon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clifton, G., Biewener, A. (2018) Foot-propelled swimming\nkinematics and turning strategies in common loons. Journal of Experimental\nBiology: 221<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Glacier National Park (2005). Common Loons in Glacier\nNational Park. (Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/glac\/learn\/nature\/upload\/Citizen%20Science%20for%20Common%20Loon%20Monitoring%20Education%20Presentation.pdf\">https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/glac\/learn\/nature\/upload\/Citizen%20Science%20for%20Common%20Loon%20Monitoring%20Education%20Presentation.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Livestrong (2019) The Average Height and Weight by Age.\n(Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/www.livestrong.com\/article\/328220-the-average-height-and-weight-by-age\/\">https:\/\/www.livestrong.com\/article\/328220-the-average-height-and-weight-by-age\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Molinos, J., Viana, M., Brennan, M., Donohue, I. (2015) Importance of Long-Term Cycles for Predicting Water Level Dynamics in Natural Lakes. PLoS ONE 10(3) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Piper, W., Evers, D., Meyer, M., Tischler, K., Kaplan, J., Fleischer,\nR. (1997) Genetic monogamy in the common loon. Behavioural Ecology and\nSociobiology. 41: 25-31<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pittaway, R., King, M. (2014) Loon ID in Fall and Winter.\nOFO News. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jeaniron.ca\/2014\/loon2ID.htm\">http:\/\/www.jeaniron.ca\/2014\/loon2ID.htm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Radomski, P., Carlson, K., Woizeschke, K. (2014) Common Loon\nNesting Habitat Models for North-Central Minnesota Lakes. Waterbirds 37(1):\n102-117<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Strong, P., Bissonette, J., Fair, S. (1987): Reuse of\nNesting and Nursery Areas by Common Loons. The Journal of Wildlife Management.\n51 (1): 123-127<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (2010) All About Birds:\nCommon Loon. (Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Common_Loon\/id\">https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/guide\/Common_Loon\/id<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Loon Project (2018) Do Loons Mate for Life? (Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/loonproject.org\/do-loons-mate-for-life\/\">https:\/\/loonproject.org\/do-loons-mate-for-life\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Science Behind Algonquin\u2019s Animals (2005) Common Loon\nand Bird Migration Research in Algonquin Provincial Park (Internet): <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sbaa.ca\/projects.asp?cn=303\">http:\/\/www.sbaa.ca\/projects.asp?cn=303<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Scientific American (2019) Climate Change Sends Great\nLakes Water Levels Seesawing. (Internet): <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/\">https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/climate-change-sends-great-lakes-water-levels-seesawing\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">University of Iowa Press. (2007). Common Loon Gavia Immer.\nFifty Uncommon Birds of the Upper Midwest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Windels, S., Beever, E., Paruk, J., Briniman, A., Fox, J.,\nMacnulty, C., Evers, D., Siegel, L, &amp; Osborne, D. (2013). Effects of\nwater-level management on nesting success of common loons. The Journal of\nWildlife Management. 77 (8). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Part 1: An Introduction to the Common Loon It&#8217;s a peaceful July evening in northern Canada&#8217;s lake country. The sun is setting, and the water has turned into a reflective [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1494,"featured_media":2082,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2018"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3292,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018\/revisions\/3292"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}