To gain enough speed to fly they have to run across the water, beating their wings and paddling with their feet. There are stories of loons landing on wet pavement which they've mistaken for deep water. These facts lead to many unanswered questions about their migration. Most loons spend the winter on the Atlantic, Gulf or Pacific coasts of North America. They return to nest on inland lakes in April or May each spring.
Males arrive within a few days of ice out and females follow a few days or a week later.
Several students have volunteered to share their research about loons with Journey North. Watch for their postings soon. If you know any legends about loons, or have stories of your own, please share them with us. LoonWatch is an education and research program that works to protect loons and their nesting lakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Other states and provinces in North America that have nesting loons also have programs like LoonWatch.