How long can loons stay submerged?
five minutes The loon can stay underwater for up to five minutes, its signature red eyes helping it locate prey while submerged. Common loons are skilled in flight, sometimes reaching speeds of 70 miles (110 kilometers) an hour.
Can loons breathe underwater?
People watching loons are often amazed at how long they can stay underwater. When you see a loon dive, you'd better not hold your breath until it comes back up. Most loon dives last between 8.5 and 60 seconds. But under stress, loons can remain underwater for about three minutes.
How far can loons swim under water?
200 feet Almost wholly aquatic, loons can swim long distances underwater and can dive from the surface to a depth of 60 metres (200 feet). Besides having solid bones, loons can further decrease their buoyancy for these dramatic dives by compressing air from their lungs, feathers, and internal air sacs.
Do loons sleep in the water?
Because they are not well built for life on land, loons typically sleep in the water. They take short naps (15 minutes in duration, on average). To sleep, a loon turns its neck and folds its head down to rest on its back. During the nesting period, loons may sleep while incubating.
Why do loons cry at night?
The wail is frequently heard during night chorusing. The hoot is a soft, short call that is typically used for short range communication between members of a loon family unit (paired adults and their chicks). Loons may also hoot to communicate with rival loons during low-level territorial interactions.
What is so special about loons?
Loons have solid bones, unlike other birds. This makes them less buoyant and better at diving. They quickly expel air from their lungs and flatten their feathers to remove air from within their plumage so they can dive deep and swim quickly.
Why do loons call at night?
The wail is frequently heard during night chorusing. The hoot is a soft, short call that is typically used for short range communication between members of a loon family unit (paired adults and their chicks). Loons may also hoot to communicate with rival loons during low-level territorial interactions.
Do loons return to the same lake?
Loons are long-lived (20-30 years!) and territorial, returning annually to the same lake to breed. They are usually six to seven years old before they establish a breeding territory with their first mate. In the spring, males migrate back to their breeding lakes to establish a territory for nesting.
Are loons aggressive?
Adult loons can also be very aggressive towards each other, Fighting fiercely to the point that they sometimes cause serious or fatal injuries, such as sternal puncture wounds, to each other.
Whats a predator of a loon?
Loon chicks can swim right away but spend some time on their parents' backs to rest, conserve heat, and avoid predators such as large carnivorous fish, snapping turtles, gulls, eagles, and crows.
How can you tell if a loon is male or female?
Male and female loons have identical plumage, which makes them nearly impossible to tell apart by sight alone. Although males are generally about 25% larger than females, this size difference is difficult to determine visually.
Are loons always in pairs?
Loons are monogamous, according to the Cornell Lab. Pairs typically bond for about five years. When common loons get to their breeding area and mate, the females lay their eggs beside bodies of water or in shallow water. The nest is usually built by both the male and female on the ground.
How old do loons live?
Loons are a long-lived bird. The oldest known common loon lived 25 years but their lifespan may be up to 30+ years.
Why do loons cry?
JAY MAGER: The wail has been long believed to be a contact call. It is a call that's often given by mates to find one another, or perhaps mates looking for misplaced chicks. The tremolo's are basically when loons are agitated, so it's believed to be a signal given when they're threatened.
Why do loons talk at night?
The wail is frequently heard during night chorusing. The hoot is a soft, short call that is typically used for short range communication between members of a loon family unit (paired adults and their chicks). Loons may also hoot to communicate with rival loons during low-level territorial interactions.