Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute
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Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award
In 1985, LoonWatch established the Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award. The Award was named in honor of wildlife biologist, Sigurd T. Olson, son of the Institute's namesake, Sigurd F. Olson, in recognition of his early contributions to our understanding of loons. His 1952 paper co-authored with William H. Marshall, "The Common Loon in Minnesota," continues to be cited as one of the premier baseline reports on the natural history of the species.
Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award funding has provided critical support for small but important projects that have allowed researchers to increase their understanding of loon nocturnal vocal behavior, impacts of human disturbance on loons and causes of loon mortality. Since 1986, more than $35,000 dollars in funding has been awarded. Past Awards are listed below.
To support the Loon Research Award, you can make a gift online and under the section called "Placing your Gift," select other from the drop-down menu and include Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award in that text area.
Award proposal guidelines and application are placed are place here in October. Proposals are due in December, and the awardee is notified in January. If you are interested in submitting a proposal for the next award, download the following form:
Award History
| Year |
Title and Authors |
| 1986 | Vocal tagging assessment of Common Loon population dynamics in upper Michigan: A base study Dr. Ed Miller, Governors State University |
| 1987 | Population turnover rate of Common Loons in upper Michigan/Wisconsin Dr. Ed Miller, Governors State University |
| 1988 | Behavior, movements, habitat use and migration of Common Loons in northern Wisconsin Dr. Raymond Anderson, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| 1988 |
Aspects of the nocturnal chorusing behavior of Common Loons: Pair site fidelity and pair-bond longevity Lauren Wentz, Ohio State University |
| 1989 | Population turnover rate and early-season usage of multi-lake territories by Common Loons in upper Michigan and Wisconsin Dr. Ed Miller, Governors State University |
| 1989 |
Aspects of nocturnal vocal behavior of the Common Loon Lauren Wentz, Ohio State University |
| 1990 | Establishing a color-marked Common Loon population David Evers, Kalamazoo Nature Center |
| 1991 | The impact of fish mercury contamination on Common Loon productivity in Wisconsin Dr. Michael Meyer, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources |
| 1992 | An investigation into the impact of fish mercury contamination on Common Loon productivity in Wisconsin Dr. Michael Meyer, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources |
| 1992 | Investigation of morbidity and mortality of the Common Loon in Minnesota Jimmy Pichner, Minnesota Zoo |
| 1994 | Common Loon monitoring in Minnesota: Development and implementation of a strategy for tracking populations of a widely dispersed species Richard Baker, Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources |
| 1996 | Importance of food and mercury consumption to chick survival in acidified lakes of northern Wisconsin Jerry Hartigan and Dr. Evelyn Merrill, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| 1998 | Effects of human disturbance on Common Loon nesting behavior, chick rearing, and productivity in northeast Minnesota Cory Counard, University of Minnesota-St. Paul |
| 1999 | Sternal punctures in Common Loons: Are they indicative of behavioral pathology Rose Miconi and Dr. Mark Pokras, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, Massachusetts |
| 2000 | Common Loon breeding atlas and associated human-use patterns: Isle Royale National Park, Michigan Joseph D. Kaplan and Keren B. Tischler, BioDiversity Research Institute |
| 2000 |
Factors influencing lacustrine habitat selection of piscivorous birds in northern Wisconsin Jennifer Newbrey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| 2001 |
Nesting Success and Incubation Patterns of Common Loons in Voyageurs National Park Dawn Cummings, North Dakota State University |
| 2002 | Factors that inhibit loon nesting success at Isle Royale National Park Joseph D. Kaplan, BioDiversity Research Institute and Michigan Technological University |
| 2003 | Provisioning variation and fledging success of red-throated loons in western Alaska: marine regime shifts as a potential mechanism for long-term population decline Jeffery Ball, Simon Fraser University |
| 2004 | Experimental Analysis of the behavioral consequences of using nest platforms to manage Common Loon populations: are loons getting too much of a good thing? Jay Mager, Cornell University |
| 2005 | Assessing the conservation implications of common loon parasites: black flies, haematozoans, and the loon immune response Meggin Weinandt, Northern Michigan University |
| 2006 | Learning from Loons: Lead Poisoning and its Threats to Wildlife and Human Health Dr. Mark Pokras, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, Massachusetts |
| 2007 | Common Loon Contaminant Burdens and Condition during Fall Migration through the Lower Great Lakes Dr. Scott Petrie, Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada Port Rowan, Ontario |
| 2008 | Evaluating waterbird mortality associated with botulism E outbreaks on northern Lake Michigan Joseph D. Kaplan, Common Coast Research and Conservation Houghton, Michigan |
| 2009 | No award given. |
| 2010 | No award given. |
| 2011 | No award given. |
| 2012 | Time-lapse Camera Detection of Common Loon Nest Predators in Iron County, Wisconsin Jeff Wilson, Northwoods Wildlife and Wetlands |
