Voyageur’s National Park (MN)

Project Title: Assess the Impacts of International Lake Level Management by using an Interdisciplinary Approach: Common Loon Nest Success

Principle Investigators:

Cory Counard MacNulty, Voyageur’s National Park Association

Jim Paruk, Northland College

David Evers, BioDiversity Research Institute

LoonWatch and Northland College in Ashland, WI, Friends of Voyageur’s National Park, and the BioDiversity Research Institute in Maine are jointly investigating the impact of fluctuating water levels on the nesting and reproductive success of the Common Loon in Voyageurs National Park. A hydroelectric dam has controlled the water levels on the major waterways in the park since the early 1900s. A joint international commission in 2000 established a revised management plan from one the park approved in 1970. Additionally, they are attempting to determine if the current fledging success is adequate to support a self-sustaining loon breeding population.

See page 3 of the Spring 2005 Tremolo for more details.

Northern Wisconsin

Project Title: Evaluating the Impacts of Multiple Stressors on Common Loon Population Demographics – An Integrated Laboratory and Field Approach

Principle Investigators:

Michael W. Meyer, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

Kevin Kenow, USGS-BRD

This project has two primary objectives 1) to create a common loon demographic model to estimate the loon population size and potential long-term population trends and 2) to quantify the impact of multiple stressors on loon populations in northern Wisconsin. These stressors include prey availability, mercury exposure, habitat alteration, predation, and disturbance. To determine the demographic variables that go into the model, this requires placing color bands on adults and chicks and following their reproductive and survival history through the summer and from year-to-year. The outcome of this project will be to inform resource managers about the relative risks of these stressors and provide them with the opportunity to value the impact of different management options such as reducing mercury emissions to the atmosphere or limiting the housing development on critical lakes in the region. LoonWatch contributes to this research by sharing observations of color-banded loons from volunteers with the project. Also LoonWatch’s Wisconsin Loon Population Survey data may provide an independent population index to which the demographic model may be compared.

Project Title: Territory Acquisition of Common Loons: The Role of Prospecting

Principle Investigator(s):

Walter Piper, Chapman University

Charles Walcott, Cornell University

We are investigating the means by which young loons (3-6 years of age) learn about, compete for, and acquire territories. Our study depends upon a large sample of marked juveniles that mature and return to the study area (Oneida County, WI) each year and spend considerable time intruding into the territories of established pairs. Since most territories are acquired by takeover (in both sexes), a second goal is to learn about tactics established breeders use to defend territories from intruders. We are also collaborating with Dr. Michael Meyer of the Wisconsin DNR to put together a population model that we can use to assess the stability of the loon population in northern Wisconsin.

Website: Loon Project Update

Future Projects

Are you designing a loon research project? Can LoonWatch be of assistance? Please contact LoonWatch if you want to collaborate on a project.

Also see the current and past loon research projects funded by LoonWatch through the Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award.