Gavia immer

The Common Loon (Gavia immer) is a medium-large aquatic bird, between 66-91 cm (26.0-35.8 in) and weighing between 2.5-6.1 kg (5.5-13.4 lbs) according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithography. They are known for their distinctive calls and, in the summer, the adults have striking red eyes and black bodies with white dappling and pinstripes. They are a diving species with an elongated, pointed bill (beak) that is diamond-like in cross section. Their elongated bodies are hydrodynamic and their webbed feet stick out beyond their tail allowing them to propel themselves efficiently through the water. These elongated bodies and their powerful wings also make them exceptional fliers; they have been recorded at traveling at speeds of over 120 km/h (75 mph).

Loons on Coffee Pond, photo by Kim Bennett aka MaineKayakGirl of the Kayaking In Maine blog

This flight speed serves them well as they have been known to migrate over 2,500 km (1,553 miles), northward in spring to locations that include Maine lakes, where they nest and typically raise 1-2 chicks. Toward the end of summer and early fall, they begin their southerly journey to winter habitat. Loon parents raise their chicks together for approximately 12 weeks, before leaving their offspring and flying separately to different warmer coastal areas. They usually reunite as a pair the following spring. Juveniles also migrate southward that first year, but will remain along the coast for several years until they are ready to return to a lake environment for breeding.

Maine Audubon has run an Annual Loon Count community science program since 1984. An article about the program in 2020 can be found HERE. The Lakes of Maine website has a data visualization of the loon count data HERE.

Please note: Gavia immer is not the only loon species we have in Maine. The Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) is a coastal species, but can be seen on Maine lakes during migration. It breeds in Northern Canada, Iceland, Greenland, and Russia.

Learn more about Coffee Pond HERE, or check out conservation areas near it HERE. You can also find an excellent guide for non-motorized watercraft recreation HERE or if you prefer a paper version, check out her guidebook: Paddling Southern Maine.

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Number of annual surveys, by lake

Loon survey results / lake search

Estimated loon population - southern ME

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The lead scientist in this study - and much other research on boreal ecosystems - was Minnesotan native David Schindler. Schindler died last month. Read this tribute to find out much more about someone who is considered to be “among the most important and effective ecologists and environmental scientists in history...”

David Schindler (1940-2021)

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What kind of lake is that? Using monitoring data to organize Maine’s lakes into categories for better water quality assessments and protections; airing Friday, August 13 at 3:55pm

Maine has thousands of lakes, and all are unique. However, many lakes share traits that help lake managers, watershed organizations, and researchers, compare and evaluate them. This is especially important for lake assessments, which often compare a lake’s condition to the condition of reference lakes from minimally-disturbed watersheds. By determining which natural attributes of lakes and their watersheds have the strongest influence on lake condition, we can place lakes into categories that define what the conditions of certain types of lakes should be. These categories help managers place lake data in the proper context for better evaluation and planning. This talk will be about how lake types were developed for Maine lakes, and how these types may be applied to lake assessment and protection. Work like this is possible in large part because of significant contributions of long-term data from citizen scientists through the Lake Stewards of Maine. Applications of these data, beyond basic water quality monitoring, will also be discussed.

Click for information on this free Zoom event at 3:55pm on Friday, August 13th

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Maine Lakes: from birth to death, and “everything”; coming Friday, August 27 at 2pm

This presentation is a look into the geologic cycle of Maine’s lake. Dr. Norton will explore the the chronology and formation of Maine’s lakes, the evolution of the soil chemistry and water chemistry during the last 16,000 years, a bit about the major responses of lake water chemistry to this evolution, the detailed history of anthropogenic air pollution as seen through the lens of sediment chemistry, and conclude with the life-after-death history of a Maine lake.

Click for information on this free Zoom event at 2pm on Friday, August 27th

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