Loon Preservation Committee

10/02/2026

There are just two months left to enter our annual benefit raffle! Take a chance to win one of 3 great prizes, and support LPC in the process! All raffle proceeds are used to fund our work on behalf of New Hampshire’s loons. Raffle winners will be drawn during our Holiday Open House on November 28th and winners not in attendance at that event will be notified the following week.

To enter the raffle, visit loon.org/raffle. You can also purchase tickets in person at The Loon Center (183 Lees Mill Road in Moultonborough NH) or by giving us a call at (603)476-5666. Thank you for your support!

The Loon Preservation Committee’s mission is to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; to monitor the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and to promote a greater understanding of loons and the larger natural worl...

09/28/2026

🚨 Last chance! 15% off Braided Loon Placemats & Coasters — get yours today!
These beautifully painted, 100% natural jute fiber pieces bring a touch of nature to your table — available as a mini swatch, 10-inch round placemat, or coaster. Eco-friendly and perfect for the cottage kitchen or as a gift.

Price: $3.36 – $9.50 (15% off — sale ends soon!)

Don't miss out — shop now before this discount is gone: https://loon.org/product/loon-miniature-swatch/

09/25/2026

What causes loons to start molting?

There are many complex and interacting factors that regulate the timing of the molt, some of which are better understood than others. These include external factors, like seasonal changes in day length and temperature, which can influence hormone levels that help control feather growth. Some hormones increase the metabolic activity of feather-forming cells, while others inhibit the start of molt.

Loons that do not have chicks have been observed to start their prebasic molt earlier than those that have chicks, sometimes as early as late-July. Research in birds has suggested that elevated levels of estrogen and testosterone can inhibit the start of molting. Unsuccessful breeders tend to reduce their levels of these hormones earlier, which could help to explain why loons that do not have chicks have been observed molting earlier. Molt timing can also be influenced by a loon’s overall condition. Birds in poor health or at a lower body weight may take longer to replace their feathers than those that are in better condition.

Check the comments for a link to a paper that discusses some of these controls!

Photo credit: Kittie Wilson

The Loon Preservation Committee’s mission is to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; to monitor the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and to promote a greater understanding of loons and the larger natural worl...

09/23/2026

Next up in our post series about molting: What molt strategy do loons use?

Loons follow a “simple alternate” molting strategy, which means that adults have two different plumages (and undergo two separate molts) each year. Between February and April, when they are on their wintering grounds, adult loons undergo the “prealternate” molt. This molt produces the familiar black and white plumage that we see on our lakes during the summer, known as the “alternate” plumage (also called the “breeding” plumage). During this molt, the head, body, and tail feathers are replaced, but the flight feathers are not. In addition to replacing worn feathers, the striking black and white plumage produced during the prealternate molt signals that a loon is reproductively mature, helping it attract a mate during the breeding season.

In the fall, loons molt into their gray-and-white “basic” plumage (also called “winter” plumage). This is known as the “prebasic” molt. During this molt, all of a loon’s feathers (including the flight feathers) are replaced. The prebasic molt occurs in two stages: the head, body, and tail feathers are replaced between August and November. The molt then pauses so that loons can migrate to their wintering grounds, where it resumes with the replacement of the flight feathers, usually between January and March. In some individuals, this replacement of flight feathers may overlap with the start of the prealternate molt.

At this point in time, loons on our lakes are in the first stage of their prebasic molt. Keep an eye out if you’re on the water this month!

Check the comments for links to papers that discuss molting in birds in general and in loons specifically!

Photo credit: Kittie Wilson

09/21/2026

If you live or spend time on lakes, you may have noticed that in recent weeks, the adult loons have started to look a little different. That’s because at this time of year, adult loons are molting out of the black-and-white plumage of the breeding season and are replacing it with the gray-and-white plumage of winter. This week, we want to talk all about molting. First up: why do loons do it?

Loons have several different types of feathers that help them perform several important functions. Flight feathers provide lift and thrust, helping loons move through the air. Downy feathers provide insulation. Contour feathers create a watertight barrier, keeping loons dry and warm. All of these feathers have unique microstructures that allow them to perform their designated roles. Over time, feathers sustain wear and damage that limits their function. While loons routinely preen and bathe to help keep their feathers in good condition, damage and wear is inevitable. Because feathers are made of keratin and are non-living, they cannot be repaired and must be replaced entirely through a process called molting. In addition to replacing worn or damaged feathers, molting also facilitates changes in coloration, which can be important for attracting mates and may also help provide camouflage.

Check the comments for a link to a paper that discusses the many types of avian feathers!

Photo credit: Kittie Wilson

The Loon Preservation Committee’s mission is to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; to monitor the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and to promote a greater understanding of loons and the larger natural worl...

09/19/2026

In our post on Wednesday, we mentioned that loon families migrate separately, with adults tending to leave before their chicks. While adult loons are generally leaving our lakes in New Hampshire in September or October, chicks may remain on inland lakes well into November, and sometimes even into early December. While it may initially feel concerning to see your chick alone, you don't have to worry. By the time they reach 10-12 weeks of age, chicks are considered fledged—they can provide 100% of their own food and are fully equipped to take care of themselves without their parents' help. We refer to older chicks as ‘juveniles.’

We do not yet have a good understanding of what triggers migration in loons or how they know where to go. Given this, it may seem like a tall order for juvenile loons to reach ocean wintering grounds for the first time without their parents showing them what to do. However, there is evidence that juvenile birds in general (not just Common Loons) have an innate knowledge of the direction and distance that they will have to travel to reach their wintering grounds (check the comments for a link!).

In the coming weeks, you may start to see groups of juvenile loons on lakes—leaving for the ocean together has been documented for juvenile loons.

Photo credit: Brian Reilly

The Loon Preservation Committee’s mission is to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; to monitor the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and to promote a greater understanding of loons and the larger natural worl...

09/16/2026

In recent weeks, we have received reports from volunteers throughout New Hampshire of loons leaving their breeding lakes. We've also had several reports of juvenile loons showing up on lakes where no chicks hatched this summer. It's hard to believe that the chicks that were tiny fluff balls just a few short months ago are now old and strong enough to fly, but it's true. Fall migration is upon us! We want to take the opportunity this week to talk a little more about how fall migration works for loons and what you can expect to see over the course of the next few months.
For loon watchers who live on lakes where the loons did not nest successfully this summer, migration may be old news. Loons that do not have chicks to raise tend to leave their lakes earlier than those with chicks to care for, sometimes early as late July. Loon pairs with chicks tend to stay on their breeding lakes into the fall, generally, leaving sometime between mid-September and mid-November. The members of a loon family unit do not migrate together and do not appear to spend the winter together. The members of the pair will leave separately—generally, one adult will leave a few days to a few weeks before its mate. The second adult will stay with the chicks a bit longer, but then it will also take off, leaving chicks on their own to make their way to the ocean for the first time.

Check back on Friday for more information about juvenile loons making their first migration!

Photo credit: Kittie Wilson

09/14/2026

By now, those NH loon chicks that hatched in early July are now about 12 weeks old. By 12 weeks of age, loon chicks are considered to be fledged—they can technically provide most or all of their own food, but most continue to receive care from their parents. At this age they may take their first flight, and they eat fish of similar size to adults.

Photo credit: Brian Reilly

The Loon Preservation Committee’s mission is to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; to monitor the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and to promote a greater understanding of loons and the larger natural worl...

09/11/2026

Loons are visual predators—they rely on their excellent eyesight to locate their prey. When foraging, loons will often dip their heads underwater, searching for fish below. Once they find their target they dive and pursue it underwater. Loons have a nictitating membrane (a translucent extra eyelid that draws across the eye, protecting it from debris and other irritants). This membrane functions similarly to a pair of goggles, allowing loons to keep their eyes open so that they can track and chase their prey.

As demonstrated in this great video by Kevin Biskaborn, most of the fish that loons catch are small enough to be swallowed whole when they're still underwater. However, when a loon captures a larger fish, it may need to return to the surface to subdue it before it is able to consume it. Loons may slap a fish against the surface of the water or repeatedly drop and recapture it until the fish stops struggling and is manageable enough to be swallowed.

Link to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bl_BWtyWU
Video by Kevin Biskaborn.

You've never seen loons hunting underwater this close before. Captu...

09/09/2026

Did you know that loons don’t sleep the same way that we humans do? Unlike us, loons don’t take one long sleep per day. Instead, they sleep in short bursts that might happen at any time, day or night. One study found that daytime sleeping bouts tend to be a little shorter than nighttime ones and that overall, loons spent more time overall sleeping during the night than during the day.

Loons sleep on the water. A loon will simply turn its head and rest it on its back, tucking its bill into its scapular feathers.

Check the comments for a link to the study referenced in this post!

Photo credit: Brian Reilly and Kittie Wilson