In the Midwest of the United States of America, many people go to the lakes on summer weekends for a break from everyday life and to relax on the water. If you happen to find yourself on a lake this year, take a moment to look around and study the unique ecosystem you’ve entered. Many species of birds call the Midwest lakes their home; some of the favorites for birdwatchers include loons and bald eagles. These birds feast on the fish they catch, much like we humans do when we go fishing. Let's take a closer look at these unique birds.
Common Loons
Common Loons
Common Loons are famous for their eerie, beautiful calls you can often hear at night on the lake. They have four distinct calls that each have a different meaning! The tremolo is a wavering call given when a loon is alarmed, or to announce its presence at a lake. Male loons also have their own signature yodel, or territorial call. This call is typically loud and high-pitched. If a male moves to a different territory, he’ll change his yodel too! The wail is the long, haunting call that loons give back and forth to figure out each other’s location. Hoots are soft, short calls given to keep in contact with each other. Parents might hoot to a chick, or one mate might hoot to another. You can listen to samples of these calls here!
The common loon is easily identifiable with its regally patterned black and white coat of feathers in the summer. In the winter, they are plain grey with a white breast (this is also what the chicks look like until they become adults). Common loons are powerful, agile divers that catch small fish in fast underwater chases. They are less suited to land, and typically come ashore only to nest. Unlike most birds, loons have solid bones that make them less buoyant and better at diving. They can quickly blow air out of their lungs and flatten their feathers to expel air within their plumage, so they can dive quickly and swim fast underwater.
The common loon is easily identifiable with its regally patterned black and white coat of feathers in the summer. In the winter, they are plain grey with a white breast (this is also what the chicks look like until they become adults). Common loons are powerful, agile divers that catch small fish in fast underwater chases. They are less suited to land, and typically come ashore only to nest. Unlike most birds, loons have solid bones that make them less buoyant and better at diving. They can quickly blow air out of their lungs and flatten their feathers to expel air within their plumage, so they can dive quickly and swim fast underwater.
Common loons mate for life, unless one partner does not return in the spring. Male and female loons build their nests together over the course of a week in May or early June, making a mound out of dead plant materials that grow along the lake’s edge. The mother will then lay a clutch of one to two eggs and incubate them for about a month. Once the chicks have hatched, they are able to swim or ride on their mother’s back within a few hours. Most of the time, a pair of loons will reuse the same site the following year, refurbishing their old nest instead of building a new one.
Bald Eagle
In the United States of America, the bald eagle has been the national emblem since 1782. And for the native people of North America, it’s been a spiritual symbol for far longer! These large birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their brown body and wings. You can find them soaring in solitude, chasing other birds for their food, or gathering by the hundreds in winter. Bald eagles were once endangered by hunting and pesticides, but recently have flourished under protection.
While the bald eagle is incredibly large and powerful, its calls are surprisingly weak-sounding! These are usually a series of high-pitched whistling or piping notes. Female eagles also have their own signature call - a single soft note that alerts nearby males that she is ready to mate. In one of several amazing courtship displays, a male and female fly high into the sky, lock talons, and cartwheel downward together, breaking off at the last instant to avoid crashing to the earth. Bald eagles build some of the largest of all bird nests - typically 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet tall, and ranging in shape depending on the supporting tree! These nests can take up to three months to build, and are used by the same mated pair year after year.
Bald Eagle
In the United States of America, the bald eagle has been the national emblem since 1782. And for the native people of North America, it’s been a spiritual symbol for far longer! These large birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their brown body and wings. You can find them soaring in solitude, chasing other birds for their food, or gathering by the hundreds in winter. Bald eagles were once endangered by hunting and pesticides, but recently have flourished under protection.
While the bald eagle is incredibly large and powerful, its calls are surprisingly weak-sounding! These are usually a series of high-pitched whistling or piping notes. Female eagles also have their own signature call - a single soft note that alerts nearby males that she is ready to mate. In one of several amazing courtship displays, a male and female fly high into the sky, lock talons, and cartwheel downward together, breaking off at the last instant to avoid crashing to the earth. Bald eagles build some of the largest of all bird nests - typically 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet tall, and ranging in shape depending on the supporting tree! These nests can take up to three months to build, and are used by the same mated pair year after year.
Fish make up the majority of the bald eagle’s diet, but they will also eat smaller birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and small mammals including rabbits and muskrats. Even though they’re considered birds of prey, bald eagles rarely hunt for fish themselves. They will often bully osprey into giving up their food, and will push others out of the way to get to a carcass. This is why Benjamin Franklin didn’t want the bald eagle to be the nation’s mascot - he thought they were cheaters and dishonest!
You probably won’t find any loons or eagles relaxing in your backyard, but there are tons of unique birds and other wildlife that visit every so often. Try making a wildlife journal to catalogue what you see and write down how many times it’s stopped by!
Make a Bird Feeder
Common backyard birds will eat seeds on the ground or from flowers, but it’s much easier for them to eat from a bird feeder. Instead of going out and buying an expensive device, a recycled bottle will work just as well! To make your own bird feeder at home, you’ll need a plastic bottle and a couple of smaller wooden spoons.
Using a scissors or other sharp tool, poke four holes in the bottle, starting about halfway down. Each pair of holes should be right across from the other. You can then stick the handles of the wooden spoons through the plastic. Try to angle the spoon downwards so some of the bird seed spills onto it for the birds to eat. Once everything is in place, fill the bottle with your choice of bird seed and place it wherever you’d like to see some feathery friends!
References:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/b/bald-eagle/
Image Credits:
PL Field. “Loon in the Water”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 7/7/17 from publicdomainpictures.net
Markham, Pete. “Baby Loons”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 7/7/17 from commons.wikimedia.org
Audubon, John James. “White-Headed Eagle”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 7/7/17 from commons.wikimedia.org
You probably won’t find any loons or eagles relaxing in your backyard, but there are tons of unique birds and other wildlife that visit every so often. Try making a wildlife journal to catalogue what you see and write down how many times it’s stopped by!
Make a Bird Feeder
Common backyard birds will eat seeds on the ground or from flowers, but it’s much easier for them to eat from a bird feeder. Instead of going out and buying an expensive device, a recycled bottle will work just as well! To make your own bird feeder at home, you’ll need a plastic bottle and a couple of smaller wooden spoons.
Using a scissors or other sharp tool, poke four holes in the bottle, starting about halfway down. Each pair of holes should be right across from the other. You can then stick the handles of the wooden spoons through the plastic. Try to angle the spoon downwards so some of the bird seed spills onto it for the birds to eat. Once everything is in place, fill the bottle with your choice of bird seed and place it wherever you’d like to see some feathery friends!
References:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/b/bald-eagle/
Image Credits:
PL Field. “Loon in the Water”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 7/7/17 from publicdomainpictures.net
Markham, Pete. “Baby Loons”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 7/7/17 from commons.wikimedia.org
Audubon, John James. “White-Headed Eagle”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 7/7/17 from commons.wikimedia.org
