08/21/2026
In recent weeks, you may have noticed larger groups of loons on your local lake. At this time of year, it is not uncommon to see groups of 3, 5, 10, or even 20+ loons, especially on larger lakes.
This may seem unusual, as loons are typically very territorial during the breeding season—throughout much of the summer, the resident pair on a territory will chase any extra loons out. However, larger social gatherings consisting of multiple loons become more normal from mid-July onward. These late-season social gatherings often consist of non-territorial birds (those loons that were not able to acquire or maintain control of a breeding territory during the summer) and loons that held a territory but did not succeed in hatching or raising chicks. Later in the summer, loons that have succeeded in breeding may also start to join in on the gatherings.
Dr. Walter Piper’s work with a banded study population in Wisconsin has suggested that the loons involved in mid-to-late summer social gatherings may have different motivations for participation. If a pair has succeeded at raising chicks and other loons land on the lake and start a social gathering, one of the pair members may join the gathering in order to distract the intruders and keep them away from their chicks.
Loons that do not yet have a territory of their own may join social gatherings in order to gain information about the lake they are visiting—did it produce chicks this year?—which can help them decide which territories they may be interested in trying to take over the next year. Loons that occupy nearby territories may join social gatherings on a different lake in order to attract nonbreeders to that lake, keeping the extra loons away from their own lakes and chicks.
We still have much to learn about loon behavior, including these social gatherings. But if you see one in the next couple of months, rest assured that it is a normal sight this time of year!
Photo credit: Linda Johnson
