A Year In the Life Of a Canadian Loon | Our World

on a north american lake suspended between sunset and the night a haunting call pierces the stillness compounded of the spirit of all wild places it's the voice of the loon one of the most beautiful migratory birds the call is an ancient one stretching further back in time than ourselves it has been mistaken for the hull of the wolf to the cree indians it was the anguished cry of a dead warrior denied entry into paradise the winter lakes are dumb with ice their shores bound tight by snow few creatures can live in this frigid landscape many spend the winter in the warmer south those that stay must find their food beneath ice and snow starvation stalks these cold cruel months especially if snows are deep or crusted hard with ice the common loons or great northern divers are spending the winter along the coast at home on the ocean swell at this time of year the loons and their cousins the red-throated divers share the same waves in a loose flock the smaller red throats breed in arctic tundra lakes but will return to the coast to fish even throughout the summer loon seem to lose their identity while at sea silent and skulking in drab winter plumage they even moat all their flight feathers and are unable to fly only when they reach the still waters of a summer lake will the loons regain their grace and their voice young loons remain at sea for their first two or three years as april approaches on the lakes to the far north melting snow swells the rivers further upstream black bears grumble awake from their winter sleep and begin to forage for grubs or moss [Music] the ice is on the retreat patches of open water pattern the lakes finally the last skin of ice breaks up soon the lake will lie liquid still and expected [Music] hundreds of miles to the south along the coast the loons too have been transformed and are now flaunting their summer plumage some mysterious sense tells them that the lakes which lie far to the north are opening to receive them loons have the smallest wings in proportion to their weight of any flying bird their bones are heavy and solid they usually need a wet runway of at least a quarter of a mile before they can leave the water [Applause] [Music] once airborne they're able to maintain a steady 75 miles per hour their journey north takes days or often weeks they stop occasionally to fish and rest on open lakes on the way when the glaciers of the last ice age retreated northwards across america they left behind a vast region of cold clear legs the loon followed the retreating ice to breed in these new and rich waters ever since loons wintering at sea have continued to head northwards and inland to their breeding lakes human population pressure has continued to drive them north into small pockets across the top of the united states and canada [Music] every year the lakes call them back to breed unerringly they return to the same place and they will do this as long as they live maybe for 20 or 30 years the loons timing is so accurate that they seldom return later than five days after the ice has left the lake often it's on the same day it's the males which usually arrive first it's important to fly in as early as possible to lay claim to the best nesting and feeding territories there's no time to waste the loons have little over seven months to raise a family before the ice drives them south once more rival loons dispute these territorial boundaries the birds dip their heads beneath the surface to check that no one is launching an underwater assault as tension builds the dominant birds adopt their most aggressive posture bill poised to attack front on yodeling calls proclaim ownership the loon territory may range from a small bay of around 20 acres to an entire lake of one or two hundred acres the loons are looking for suitable nest sites clear well-stocked water and a sheltered nursery area finding and holding these vital things is what the aggression is all about but the loons do not have exclusive rights this pair of ospreys also returned to the same lake year after year ospreys don't breed until they're at least three years old but they may form pairs and even practice nest building during the first couple of years [Music] the loon's territorial calls echo deep into the forest which presses on the lake on all sides [Music] the call of the loon is the sound of springtime as evocative as the center forest flowers it even competes with the sound of a male roughed grouse trying to attract a mate drumming the air with rapidly beating wings loons might be expected to have some spectacular courtship display to match their dramatic plumage but loon courtship is low key this may be because the birds already know each other from the previous year there's no need for the male to overexert himself the male osprey doesn't have such an easy time for several weeks he has to lug large branches to the nest to impress the female before egg laying can begin again loons seem to have a much more casual approach they throw weed over their shoulders in a rather half-hearted way indicating their intention to nest great blue herons have also returned to their colony on the lake they nest in tall trees protected from predators by a natural moat the herons have laid their eggs earlier than the loons and many are already incubating a full clutch in their large untidy nests the loons humble pile of debris can hardly be called a nest they always build close to the water's edge sometimes loons nest too close to the water and spring rains or the wash of boats submerge the eggs islands are particularly favored sites as they're protected from egg steelers such as skunks or raccoons but natural islands are in short supply because on many lakes the shoreline has been taken over by holiday homes local people now want to encourage loons to nest on their lakes they build artificial loon islands out of cedar logs and hope that a homeless pair will adopt them in new hampshire nearly 20 percent of loons are now nesting on artificial islands the floating island has other advantages it rises and falls with the water level the nest won't sink in heavy rain or become stranded if dams or drought should lower the water for nearly a month the incubating loons will have to tolerate summer storms and burning sun the two eggs are rarely left unattended [Applause] loon eggs are large for the bird size but large eggs hold heat better than small ones they're less likely to chill loons may accept the artificial islands but other human activity is not welcome while the loons are in residence many lakes are heavily used by holidaymakers who are often unaware of the threat they pose to incubating loons if the threat continues the loon may desert the nest the height of summer brings another trial for the incubating birds beneath the fast flowing water of the shallow streams which feed the lake a species of black fly larvae are hatching out this species has evolved a taste only for the blood of the common loon they will attack no other birds the black fly time their emergence to coincide with the loons incubation period when the loon is unable to leave her eggs to escape the blood-sucking insects once at the surface they must fly immediately or drown so the sitting loon can only shake her head to disturb the cloud of biting flies until her mate comes to relieve her at the nest this so to see a loon struggle the short distance to its eggs is to understand why they nest so close to the water's edge the name loon may come from the scandinavian word lom meaning lame or clumsy [Music] after sitting for so many hours the mate can now indulge in a long pruning session carefully anointing each feather with oil from the preened land it's essential to keep the tiny veins on the feathers well zipped up and waterproofed the price of unkempt feathers is death by chilling from the cold water [Music] the female loon has taken over for this night watch normally she will sit tight but if she's disturbed by people and deserts the nest while her mate is on the open lake her eggs may fall victim to predators [Music] the raccoon population has doubled around many lakes because of the easy pickings from rubbish dumps near holiday homes this in turn increases the risk to loans [Applause] on some lakes almost all the loon eggs are destroyed by raccoons if this happens early on in the season the loons often lay a second clutch remote lakes unfrequented by people have a far lower population of raccoon hangers on loons nesting at those lakes are also less likely to be disturbed and leave their eggs unguarded [Applause] [Applause] [Music] at night the males patrol their territories announcing their presence with spine tingling whales yodels and tremolo calls every male has a unique yodel which allows other loons to identify him in the dark or at a distance a voice fingerprint [Music] [Music] wow [Music] [Music] early man pausing by the side of a northern lake would have heard the same haunting calls [Music] perhaps it's this link with our past which gives the cry of the loon such a hold on the human imagination it reaches into the soul like a voice from an age of wildness and stillness when the forests were broken only by the quiet eyes of the lakes um [Music] it is the longest day of the year and the first loon chick has hatched as soon as it is dried the young chick is called onto the water by an attentive parent the eggshell might attract predators to the nest where the remaining egg has still to hatch so is promptly removed [Music] [Music] within seconds of entering the water the chick tries to dive but it's too buoyant and bobs to the surface like a cork the adult pair watch anxiously like any parents as their first hatching of the season takes its first swim water is the element for which a loon is fashioned if frightened a loon doesn't take to the air it will always dive the torpedo-shaped body cleaves the water webbed feet provide the propulsion and the tail steers the bird in graceful twists and turns during the first few days the chick is fed on insect larvae and minerals for their small size chicks have deceptively large appetites so it's estimated that a pair of loons must catch a half ton of fish to feed themselves and two chicks during the summer breeding season high above the loons on the lake another pair of birds are also struggling to feed two voracious chicks unlike ground nesting loons these osprey chicks will remain safely in the comfort of their treetop nest without fear of predation until they're ready to fly it's mainly the female who cares for the chicks and feeds them the male spends most of his time hunting for fish to bring to the nest making as many as four or five visits a day [Music] the loons on the artificial island have also seen their first chick hatch it too is about to take to the water for the first time but as the chick splashes noisily after the adult an ominous shape breaks the water's surface [Music] snapping turtles and northern pike prowl the lower depths of the lake [Music] a young loon chick is easy prey so long as the parent is far enough away [Music] the parent returns to the chick just in time dipping its head to check the water below even a hungry turtle is no match for an adult loom the safest place for a tiny loon chick is on an adult's back during the first 10 days of their lives chicks are more vulnerable to chilling than predation catching a ride also helps to keep a chick warm and dry the female has remained behind on the nest brooding the second egg which is just beginning to hatch it's only during these long periods of immobility on land that it's possible to see the loon's entire plumage clearly the striking pattern has given rise to myths everywhere the loon is found one native american legend describes how a blind man went to a loon for help the loon told him to hold on to his feathers and they dived into the water when they returned to the surface the man could see again and in gratitude he threw the loon a shell necklace which marked the loon's black feathers with white splashes the loons dazzling plumage so conspicuous on land merges into dancing splintered reflections of light once on the water the second chick finally emerges from its shell piercing it with the egg tooth which it will lose soon after hatching at last this loon family is complete oh when the younger chick swims over to join the rest of the family it soon becomes apparent that there are tensions one day's extra food and growth has given the older chicken advantage over the newcomer now both must compete for the adult's attention so the older chick tries to drive the younger away launching a vicious attack the parents do not come to its rescue the younger bird immediately adopts a submissive posture which also protects its head from attack even so it's been heard [Music] despite these early battles most second chicks survive the aggression of the first few weeks young loons do not always reach adulthood though most chicks that have come this far will at least live through the summer the parents shuttle the chicks away from the nest to a shallow nursery area at a far corner of the loons territory where the young loons will be sheltered from high winds and waves the lake is now at its most productive teeming with insect larvae and fish fry on the lakeshore too the forests are equally fruitful the birch trees sap rich in sugars is readily exploited by sap suckers these woodpeckers hammer out rows of surprisingly regular holes to reach the sap if a tree is visited often the vital flow of sap to the upper branches will be cut off and the tree will die the using sweetness attracts insects many of which get trapped in the drying syrup and provide a meal for birds and other animals even squirrels pay regular visits to feed on the energy rich sap but inadvertently the sap suckers play an even more important role the ruby-throated hummingbird also bleeds this far north because the sapsuckers have released this source of sugar to them the birch sap bridges the gap in spring before the flowers which are the hummingbirds normal source of nectar come into bloom and of course the flowers themselves would not be here if the hummingbirds were not there to pollinate them [Music] the lakeside forests provide a source of food and building materials for even larger animals beavers the beaver family is looking after this springs litter the young beavers will remain with their parents for the next couple of years before leaving for a lake of their own it's important for the adult pair to make regular checks on the territory to prevent a takeover from other beavers and to teach the young how to maintain the dams lodges and feeding grounds that lie within the colony's domain unlike loons the beavers remain on the lake throughout the winter the lodge built from layers of wood mud and other debris will give protection from the worst of the weather before winter the roof is smeared with mud which will freeze into an impenetrable layer much of the material used to build the lodge comes from branches which were first cut and peeled by the beavers when they ate the bark it was the industry of these beavers which created the ideal conditions for the heronry on the lake as the beavers damned the lake the water level began to rise and swamped the roots of trees drowning them in the process the herons took over the dead stumps [Music] [Laughter] though herons feed huge quantities of regurgitated fish to their young they do not compete with looms because they catch much larger fish human fishermen do threaten loons in the great lakes diving loons frequently get caught in trap nets at depths of over 100 feet and drown every year many loons die through accidentally swallowing hooks or lead weights hooks lodge in the gullet preventing the bird from feeding lead accumulates in the body and slowly poisons the loons it's during this period when the young loons are growing up that the lakes become even more crowded [Music] by july the once quiet waters are shattered by speed boats water skiers and jet skis if the adults spend too much time defending their chicks from intruding boats they will be distracted from their main task of keeping young appetites satisfied [Music] as the chicks become more independent the behavior of the adults begins to change at set times in the day they leave their territories or even fly to another lake to join other adult loons in social gatherings at first there's some aggression as the birds get used to each other as other birds join the group hoots are replaced by tremolo calls and the entire party of birds begins to cruise around together often the loon tenant of the territory will give a guided tour of his domain these late summer gatherings continue into september growing larger all the time nobody is quite sure what purpose they serve by 11 weeks the downy coat of the young loon has been replaced by a drab gray plumage on some lakes loons don't pollute the water with droppings instead young loons learn to visit a favorite latrine on shore loon droppings are rich in minerals and salts as they dry the droppings become a butterfly salt lick the next few weeks of the last chance the adults have to perfect their offspring's fishing technique for soon the adults will be leaving the lakes and heading south the young birds will stay behind for the next couple of months gaining strength in waters they have come to know intimately the young bird swims alongside watching the adult [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] they often remain submerged for as long as a minute in pursuit of perch trout or minnows [Applause] but fish stocks in many lakes have been wiped out by acid rain over 200 adirondack lakes in new york state are already without fish and without loons the acidity also releases metals such as mercury aluminium and lead from the soil rocks and sediments these toxic metals enter the food chain of all fish eating mammals and birds including loons this pollution is almost invisible until it's too late many lakes are crystal clear because there's nothing living in them even threatened forests appear as magnificent as ever as they turn to autumn gold [Music] squirrels are quick to take advantage of the abundant harvest of hickories and acorns burying supplies for the winter ahead the beavers have also been collecting ladders of branches beneath the water and repairing the lodge and dam soon the cold weather and ice will drive them inside the lodge as the tree's fiery leaves fall adult loons too begin to lose their bright plumage in the autumn molt the first feathers are lost from the base of the bill chin and forehead as the year turns all the loons will be in grey winter plumage dressed to match the autumn mists [Music] the canada geese are on the move [Music] [Laughter] unlike geese loons do not fly in formation by now there should be no excuse for huntsman to shoot a loon by mistake but many loons still carry shot even as late as the 1950s many sportsmen considered it their duty to shoot all cormorants and loons they accused them of stealing game fish [Music] now it's illegal to shoot loons and attitudes are changing [Music] as wild places become scarcer people feel increasingly privileged to see and hear a living loon rather than bring home a dead trophy an entire loon industry has grown up to serve the growing appetites of lakeside summer residents for loon memorabilia this consumer boom hides a deeper concern for loons and their well-being loom preservation groups have sprung up across the northern lake belt of the united states and canada it is as if people somehow know that by protecting the loon they're showing concern for all wild and threatened places [Applause] but by the end of october most lakeside holidaymakers have gone along with the last of the adult looms any remaining loons must leave now or risk being trapped by ice as it moves in again across the lake young loon's practice flights suddenly take on a new urgency a sudden cold snap can cut off the loon's vital runway of open water leaving it stranded in an ever tightening noose of ice most young loons make it but sometimes there's a bird which leaves it too late a loon caught on the ice will freeze to death within a few hours or be taken by a predator but locals are aware of the danger and keep a constant lookout for stranded loons at this time of year so [Applause] this young loon was lucky after careful feeding it was released to continue its migration south towards open water [Music] in a few years this loon will itself make the spring journey to the northern legs which now lie mute and ice bound waiting for the loons first call to release them from silence [Music] uh oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] you

Channel: Our World

Views: 59,745

Keywords: wildlife, wildlife documentary, natural history, earth, environment, documentary, documentaries, animals, nature, animal documentary, full documentary, nature documentary, planet earth, our world, wild animals, global warming, climate change, natural habitats, our planet

Id: hKHR6ZWAD28

Length: 50min 4sec (3004 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 03 2021