White-faced Loon - description, habitat, interesting facts

The loons are waterfowl, mostly living in northern Eurasia and North America. The detachment includes only 5 species, one of which is the blue-billed loon.

Appearance

A distinctive feature of white-footed loons is a sharp beak slightly raised to the top. The head and back of these birds are black, with large white spots. The belly is white. On the neck and wings there are characteristic white stripes that distinguish them from other species.

White-haired loons are also the largest representatives of their squad - their body mass varies on average from 4 to 6.5 kilograms, and the length can reach 70 centimeters. The size of these birds can be compared with the size of domestic ducks.

Due to the fact that birds live in cold northern waters, their plumage is distinguished by its density and density. And on their paws they have membranes that allow them to dive to a depth of 20 meters and swim excellently.

However, loons are not adapted to life on land at all.They start flying from water, they also land in water. The fact is that their paws are arranged in such a way that they can break due to landing on land.

Habitat

The nests of the white-haired loons are uncomplicated. As a rule, they are lined from the remnants of dry grass, right on the shore of the reservoir. To from the nest you can easily move into the water, the loons dig small trenches, which you can easily slide down and climb back.

Breeding

Birds live in small flocks, each of which has from 3 to 6 individuals. Gagar is called monogamous birds. For the rest of their lives, they find only one partner, with whom they nest chicks and fly from place to place. Puberty in them comes relatively late - by about 3 years.

The offspring is usually bred in late July or early August.In most cases, there are only two eggs in a clutch. By coloring, the eggs are brown, black speckled, rather large and slightly oblong. The incubation period lasts on average up to 30 days. During this time, the male and female hatch the offspring in turn and do not leave the nest. Seeing the danger near, the bird descends from the nest into the water and starts screaming and beating its wings in the water to attract the predator’s attention to itself, and not to the eggs lying in the nest.

The chicks have a special autonomy: they can leave the nest the very next day after they appear, they can swim at once. They are covered with a thick downy layer of dark gray color. The first 2 weeks of life the offspring are fed by the parents, and then the chicks begin to feed on their own. By 8 weeks of age, chicks learn to fly, and by 11 weeks they are already completely independent of their parents.

The nature of the loon

Divers are distinguished by their caution, but do not have special maneuverability, so in case of danger they dive under water, where they can be up to two minutes.

In preparation for the flight loon emit a characteristic cry. And as the predator approaches, they start screaming, but in nature, loons have few “enemies”, therefore birds scream extremely rarely. Foxes, gulls, Arctic foxes and skuas create a natural danger to birds.

The life of a bird goes on up to 20 years and all this time they are very constant in choosing their place of residence: even during migrations, loons tend to the same water bodies.

Nutrition

At the heart of the diet of birds are small fish, crustaceans and mollusks. If necessary, they can eat everything that is found next to the nest. In addition to fish, it can be insects and worms. Sometimes loons even feed on plants. In general, with regard to food, the bird is unpretentious.

Interesting Facts

1. White-billed loon is listed in the Red Book. Previously, the hunt for this bird was very common. Ladies hats were made from their skins, there was even a fishing for loons, which was called “bird fur”. Over time, the popularity of products made from their fur and feathers passed, however, the population of these birds was greatly affected by such interventions. Now the loon-haired loon is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
2. Scream loon. The cry of the loon can be compared to the howling of some wild beast. And the males often cry, females emit loud sounds only in the mating season.
3. Loon can not get along with a person. Loon can not be tamed.Having met a person near his nest, the bird can leave him forever, even if there is a laying of her eggs in it. Because of this feature, the existence of bird farms on which the loon is bred is impossible.

Video: loon bluff (Gavia adamsii)