Loons

Common Loon Calls  Loons have four basic calls, heard mostly in the spring and summer. Each call has a different meaning.

Each link opens a new window, plays the call (Quicktime), and gives an explanation.

    Hoot   Tremolo   Wail   Yodel

To the casual viewer, loons are merely another species of ducks. However, loons aren’t ducks. Indeed, it has been suggested that they are more closely related to penguins than they are to ducks, geese, or swans.

Although I often hear a loon out on the Lake, I don’t as often see one; these wary birds stay well away from people and so are rather difficult to photograph.

This Common Loon, is in breeding plumage. It was photographed in June.

A Common Loon on the Lake in the dawn light.

Beads of water run off the loon’s head.

During the nonbreeding season, the necklace of the Common Loon is replaced by a saw-tooth pattern, the checking on the back softens, and the bill becomes a light blue. This is a juvenile in its first winter.

Before diving for fish, the loon will often peer underwater as it swims along the surface.

This Common Loon gives a territorial display by rearing up in the water.

A loon in the rain.

Information from Wikipedia: Common Loon.