Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Loons find their prey by sight. They eat mainly fish, supplemented with amphibians, crustaceans and similar mid-sized aquatic fauna. Specifically, they have been noted to feed on crayfish, frogs, snails, salamanders and leeches. They prefer clear lakes because they can more easily see their prey through the water.
Common loons winter on both coasts of the US as far south as Mexico, and on the Atlantic coast of Europe. Common loons eat a variety of animal prey including fish, crustaceans, insect larvae, molluscs, and occasionally aquatic plant life. They swallow most of their prey underwater, where it is caught, but some larger items are first brought to ...
For the first few days after hatching, young red-throated loons are fed aquatic insects and small crustaceans by both parents. After 3–4 days, the parents switch to fish small enough for the young birds to swallow whole. By four weeks of age, the young can eat the same food—of the same size—as their parents do. [41]
The yellow-billed loon is a specialist fish eater, yet it also takes crustaceans, molluscs and annelids, [2] especially for its young. [11] It dives in pursuit of prey, which is caught underwater. [2] Probably as a way to avoid spreading parasites, it defecates ashore, in the breeding lake.
In the clip, we see exactly how an adult loon teaches its offspring to catch fish in glorious slow motion. Here, a swimming adult loon approaches a baby loonlet with a tiny minnow trapped in its beak.
This species, like all divers/loons, is a specialist fish-eater, catching its prey underwater. It also forages in groups, usually swimming under schools of fish and forcing them up towards the surface. [12] It does, although, generally feed closer to the shore than other loons. [8]
Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. With mostly black plumage and spear-shaped bills, loons swim well and fly adequately, but because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body, are clumsy on land. Four species of loons have occurred in Georgia. Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata
Loons are aquatic birds, the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely gray or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly adequately, but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body. Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata; Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica (A)