| Common Loon |
| - Nesting and Breeding - |
| Territory |
|
Common
Loons return to their breeding lakes as soon as the ice melts in
the early spring. The size of their territory is typically 60 to
200 acres, although it can be larger or smaller. 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. |
| Nest |
| The
Common Loon nests as close to the water as possible. Islands, which
provide protection from predators, are the preferred nest location. Both sexes build the bulky nest, which consists of twigs, grasses, reeds, and other aquatic vegetation. Some sources indicate that the eggs are laid directly in a depression in the mud and the nest materials are collected after incubation begins. |
| Incubation and Fledging |
| The
Common Loon typically lays two eggs, occasionally one or three. The
eggs are olive-brown to olive-green with scattered dark spots or blotches. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch in about 28 to 30 days. The chicks leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching. At this point, they can swim but usually spend some time riding on their parents' backs during the first couple of weeks. This may help the chicks keep warm and avoid predators. For the first 8 weeks or so, the young loons are fed by their parents. Over the following weeks, they gradually learn to dive well enough to obtain their own food. By three months of age or sooner, they are able to fly and become independent of their parents. |
| Copyright 2003- 2006 Nature of New England |
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