Yellow-billed loon
The yellow-billed loon, the largest member of the loon family, is notable for its ability to thrive in the frigid Arctic regions of the northern hemisphere. Known for its exceptional diving skills, this bird is also referred to as the white-billed diver. Typically measuring between 30 to 38 inches in length and weighing 8 to 14 pounds, yellow-billed loons exhibit a striking appearance with black plumage adorned with white spots and distinctive ivory or yellow bills. They inhabit freshwater lakes and rivers in tundra areas and are found across 22 countries, including Russia, Norway, Canada, and the United States.
These loons are monogamous, constructing nests near water to raise their young. The breeding pair shares responsibilities in incubating their eggs and caring for their chicks, which are able to leave the nest shortly after hatching. Yellow-billed loons face threats primarily from environmental changes, including pollution and habitat loss, leading to their classification as a near-threatened species by conservation authorities. Although their exact lifespan in the wild is uncertain, they are believed to live between 20 and 30 years.
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Yellow-billed loon
The yellow-billed loon is the largrst member of the loon family. The yellow-billed loon is able to survive in the cold arctic regions of the northern hemisphere. It is also called the white-billed diver because of its great diving abilities to catch fish. This loon is very similar to the common loon.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gaviiformes
Family: Gaviidae
Genus: Gavia
Species: Adamsii
Like the other loons which are famous for their many sounds, yellow-billed loons make loud, harsh cackles, clucks. They also may yodel, mew, or wail. Sometimes their flights are signaled by a laughing "ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha."
Yellow-billed loons are fairly large aquatic birds which may be between 30 to 38 inches (76 to 97 centimeters) long and may weigh eight to 14 pounds (3.6 to 6 1/2 kilograms). Yellow-billed loons have black plumage with white spots on their backs and wings and white on their underparts. White vertical stripes on their necks are in a different pattern than those on the necks of the other three loon species. Their bills are ivory or yellow and have straight upper edges and curved lower edges, which make the bills curve upward slightly.
Yellow-billed loons inhabit freshwater lakes and rivers in tundra regions of the extreme northern hemisphere. They can be found in 22 countries, including Russia, Norway, Canada, and the United States. During the winter they migrate to nearby coastal waters, but not nearly as far as the other three loon species. Rarely do they leave the arctic waters, even in winter. They occupy the same territories and nests year after year.
Males and females build their nests together, and loons form long-lasting monogomous pairs. Nests are commonly piles of sticks, grass, reeds, and other materials, or they may simply be a flattened place on a small mound near the water. Loons usually nest within a few feet (one meter) of the water on islands and islets or on logs and rocks which poke out of the water. A pair usually nests alone and is territorial.
The female most often lays two eggs. Each egg has black spots on its brown or olive-colored shell. An egg of a yellow-billed loon is around 3 1/2 inches (nine centimeters) long and two inches (five centimeters) wide and weighs between four and six ounces (120 to 170 grams). Both parents take turns incubating the eggs until they hatch after one month. The males help their mates protect, keep warm, and feed the young. This is called brooding. One of the interesting features of loon parenting is that they often carry the chicks on their backs while they brood them, including while they are swimming. This gives the chicks a warm, dry, safe place to rest and sleep. The parents catch insects and small invertebrates (animals without backbones) and feed them directly to the young.
The chicks are able to leave the nest within one day of hatching and are able to dive. They are able to fly two months after hatching and to care for themselves when they are two or three months old.
The long, slender bodies and sleek, graceful heads of loons help identify these birds as they fly and as they swim. Like common loons, yellow-billed loons may be able to dive to depths of 265 feet (80 meters), but most of the time they dive to around 30 feet (10 meters) deep. With their webbed feet they are able to swim several hundred feet (meters) underwater. Dives may last for several minutes. The position of their feathers and amount of air in their air sacs determine how low in the water they swim or how deep they dive.
These aquatic birds catch fish which are usually up to seven inches (15 centimeters) long, but some may be up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) long. Other prey are crayfish, shrimp, crustaceans, leeches, and frogs.
Loons do not likely face much danger from other predators. Greater threats are rapidly and drastically changing water levels. The drop in water levels, especially in saltwater habitats, causes many of the plants and animals which the loons eat to die. A tiny organism called a bacterium infects these plants and animals when they die and begin decaying. Hot weather and water which is shallow and cannot move allow the bacterium to grow quickly. The loons which eat these infected foods get a disease called botulism, or food poisoning, and die. Another problem for the loons are water plants which grow too much and restrict their swimming and diving. The greatest threats to loons are environmental changes caused by people. Acid rain, oil spills, and other forms of pollution all harm or destroy the habitats of loons. It is not known how long the yellow-billed loons live in the wild. The yellow-billed loon is considered a near-threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Yellow-billed loons can live between 20 and 30 years.
Bibliography
Polan, Jason. “Yellow-billed Loon - Audubon Field Guide.” National Audubon Society, www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/yellow-billed-loon. Accessed 16 Mar 2024.
“Yellow-billed Loons." National Park Service, 11 Mar. 2024, www.nps.gov/im/arcn/ybl.htm. Accessed 16 Mar. 2024.