New chicks, usually two to a brood, will hatch by July, . During July loon parents can be seen swimming with their babies on their back. This prevents the chicks from being eaten by northern pike and other underwater predators. Adult loons are large, weighing about 10 pounds and needing to eat about two pounds of fish per day to stay healthy. Young chicks will eat mostly aquatic insects.
Birds swim near each other, holding their heads low to the water.
Loons were once thought to mate for life, but studies have disproven this belief. Twenty percent of Common Loons switch mates during breeding season due to losing their nest to flood waters or other natural causes. Loons also are known to switch mates from one year to the next. The bird's white spots are thought to be an adaptation to prevent it being eaten by its only real predator, the eagle. The spots, from above, make the loon blend in with sparkles reflecting off the water.