Volume 8 Issue 4

September 2008

A Successful Old Timer
By Barbara Gay

In 1987, a common loon known as ABJ was hatched and banded at the 95,238 acre Seney Natl. Wildlife Refuge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  At the age of 21 he is the oldest loon of known age, in the world.  ABJ has returned to Seney every year, since he has reached breeding age.  This year, with his mate of 4 years, he is the only successful breeder at Seney with 2 chicks hatched on July 4th.

While there in early August, Beth and I enjoyed watching the still somewhat downy brown chicks swim and dive with their doting parents.  When the chick’s feathers fully develop they will fledge from the refuge for southward migration.  They will spend 3 years on the Atlantic Ocean before they head north as breeding adults.  While females typically disperse to lakes 30-50 miles from their birthplace, males tend to return to their natal neighborhood.  At least 12 of the refuge’s 20 current territorial males, including ABJ, were hatched on Seney’s pools.

Twenty breeding pairs returned to Seney in 2008, a new high for the refuge, but only ABJ and his mate have been successful enough to raise their chicks to hopeful fledging.  A catalyst for failed nesting attempts includes irritation from blackflies, obstruction from trumpeter swans and interference from intruding loons.  In 2007 there were 24 hatched chicks, a refuge record.

The common loon has become a threatened species within Michigan, its numbers currently estimated at less than 700 breeding pairs.  The largest nesting population of loons in the Upper Peninsula is found in Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

In 1996, Cornell University conducted a study on the yodel calls of male loons.  Yodel calls, made famous by the movie “On Golden Pond”, are given only by the male and each male loon has its own unique yodel.  These yodel calls appear to be associated with maintenance of territory, and therefore a male loon changes its yodel if it changes its territory.  They speak a different language wherever they set up housekeeping.

The common loon is a large-body, nine-pound bird with the length of 32 inches and a wingspan of 46 inches that dives for fish and is always seen on water.  Their breeding plumage is a striking black and white.  When we are lucky to see this bird in Florida in the winter months their colors have muted to faded shades of grey.  Look for wintering common loons on Lake Weir, on Indian River at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and on the Gulf of Mexico at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.  Last year one was seen on one of the ponds in The Villages.