Loons typically lay one or two eggs each spring on a floating nest of dead vegetation. Eggs hatch in about 30 days. Loon chicks are covering in soft, black down. Attentive parents, loons will go to great lengths to protect their young, and they often let young chicks ride around on their backs until they are proficient swimmers. The adults are patient and diligent teachers, helping their young hone their hunting skills by offering them injured fish.
Chicks are ready to fend for themselves at about four months.
In Oklahoma, loons may be seen each spring and fall as they fly back and forth to and from their wintering areas along the Gulf Coast. At this time, they will often stop to rest and search for food on large lakes. Once loons reach the oceans, special glands help rid their system of excess salt. Known for its plaintive, haunting cry, the loon is spiritually significant in many native cultures, and it embodies the essence of the northland for countless others. When you can hear the loon call you know that you are in a wild place.