LoonWatch, a program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College, is dedicated to the protection of our region’s loon populations through education, monitoring, and research. In order to better understand the status of Wisconsin’s loon population, LoonWatch orchestrates a state-wide loon population survey once every five years. This survey is vital to assessing the effectiveness of current conservation efforts with the loon population.

LoonWatch is actively pursuing volunteers for our 2020 Wisconsin Loon Population Survey. Our one-day survey on 258 pre-selected lakes in northern Wisconsin will take place on July 18 between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. During this time, volunteers will record the number of adult loons and loon chicks. Volunteers must choose a lake or lakes to survey from a list of 258 lakes in northern and central Wisconsin. This information will be used to estimate the loon’s state-wide population and breeding success. LoonWatch provides an online training workshop and survey materials.

To review the list of lakes and sign up to volunteer.