Crazy About Loons

I have to admit to a weakness . . . I am crazy about loons. I love seeing them, calling to them, taking pictures of them, and inflicting the pictures I have taken on my friends. Who could not be crazy about these awesome birds? They are world class divers, fabulous swimmers, beautiful to see and eerie to hear . . . best of all they are great fishers and spend their days out on the lake fishing. No wonder I am crazy about loons!

Up here in the North Woods, we have an expression "crazy as a loon" to describe anyone that we find mighty peculiar. Why the expression? Loons are not crazy, of course, and one loon acts much the same as another so they are not peculiar. The expression cames from their call, the tremolo, which you may listen to here. After listening, you may agree that the tremolo sounds a little, well, crazy shall we say?Loons use the tremolo call when they are excited or alarmed. Often this call may be heard if you accidently approach a loon's nest. The nest (below) is always carefully cammoflaged to remain hidden from predators.

Not all calls of the loon sound strange and eerie, though. The wail is a lonely and beautiful call often heard after dusk coming from bays around the lake. Family groups communicate with the "hoot" which sounds just like you would imagine from the name. The yodel is the call male loons make and use to defend their territory. Loons can use any combination of these calls to communicate with other loons.

Loons have no need to rely on technology like depth finders to do their fishing. As you can see in the picture above, loons have a far simpler way of finding fish. The loon has eyes that can see well underwater and it sticks its face into the water and looks down to see if there are any fish around for dinner.

Seeing a fish down below, the loon (above) makes a neat surface dive that is so smooth that it hardly disturbs the water. Now you see it, now you don't, and when you see it again it will not be where it was! To watch a video of a loon diving, you may click here. Loons are powerful swimmers, and when they resurface 100 yards away, there is hardly a ripple to show that they have. One second the lake is empty, and the next there is a loon sitting placidly atop the water.

Don't get the idea that loons are just laid back placid fishers, though. Loons have attitude, as the one above shows by flapping his wings, which in loon language means: "I am so bad . . . don't mess with me, baby!" Loons can be vicious fighters and during the mating season have terrific rumbles down under the water. Their weapon is their strong, pointed, beak which they use as a sword of sorts. The male loons fight under water, twisting and dodging as they try to get the best of their opponent and stab him with a beak. It is serious business, and a stab will pierce the bird who receives it. The long nimble neck of a loon is as dangerous wielding a beak as the arm of an old-time knight was wielding a sword.

For the most part, though, loons are just beautiful birds drifting about on the water during the warm summer days (or winter days, if you live in the South). They are fun to call to using the hoot (who could possible do a tremolo?) and will often respond by coming closer. Watching and calling to loons is just one more way to enjoy the outdoors. But I would not recommend trying to "swim with the loons" as some people swim with porpoises. That beak could as easily pierce you or me as it can a fish or another loon! Loons must be respected and when you learn more about their calls and behavior you can be pretty sure what it is they are trying to tell you. A tremolo means "Back off, you are crowding my space and I'm worried." A hoot is akin to "Howdy y'all!" and a wail is meant for enjoyment as you sit back in your boat or on the shore after sunset. Enjoy!