Protecting the Common Loon

MinneCulture · Jan 19, 2023 · 21m

With its haunting call, distinctive black and white plumage, and intense, almost otherworldly red eyes, the Common Loon is an icon of northern Minnesota wilderness.

But some researchers believe future generations of the beloved bird in this region may be in jeopardy.A recent study in Wisconsin showed some worrying trends. Chicks are getting smaller, their survival rates are lower, and loons that migrate as juveniles are returning to their birthplace at low rates.

Now, there’s a concentrated research effort by the National Loon Center in Minnesota to find out whether the same declines are…