Depending on where you live, the Common Loon may not be so common to you. Hear how Thornton W. Burgess introduces the Common Loon to the story in his classic The Burgess Bird Book for Children,
Just then Honker was interrupted by wild, strange sounds from the middle of the Great River. It sounded like crazy laughter. Peter jumped at the sound, but Honker merely chuckled. ‘It’s Dippy the Loon,’ said he. ‘He spent the summer in the Far North not far from us. He started south just before we did.’…
‘He and his mate are great people to keep by themselves. Then, too, they don’t have to come ashore for food. You know Dippy feeds altogether on fish. He really has an easier time on the long journey than we do, because he can get his food without running so much risk of being shot by the terrible hunters. He practically lives on the water. He’s about the most awkward fellow on land of any one I know.’
Burgess, Thornton W., The Burgess Bird Book for Children, Living Book Press, 2021, p. 197.
Every Day for the Common Loon
There we have a reason why many of us have not seen the Common Loon. They are water birds that really only use the shore for nesting. When it comes to food, the Common Loon eats fish. They are very good at catching them. Cornell Lab’s Allaboutbirds has a lot of cool information about the Common Loon and very interesting facts! You’ll see that one is that they need a good stretch of water in order to take off for flight. Also here is one about their diving abilities:
Loons are well equipped for their submarine maneuvers to catch fish. 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. Once below the surface, the loon’s heart slows down to conserve oxygen.
Here is what we gathered about Dippy, the Common Loon:
I wonder if you can find out anything more about why Burgess would write about the Common Loon having a hysterical laugh? If you look into it on allaboutbirds, you may be able to find one of their calls that fits the bill.
Keep birding, <3 Kate
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