Loons are aquatic birds known for their unique and haunting calls. There are five main species of loons found in North America: the Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, Yellow-billed Loon, and Arctic Loon. Though loons make a variety of vocalizations, there are four primary loon sounds that can be heard echoing across lakes and ponds during the summer breeding season. These iconic loon calls serve different purposes in loon communication and social behavior.
The four common loon sounds are the wail, yodel, tremolo, and hoot. Each species of loon has its own repertoire of calls, though there is some overlap between the sounds different species make. By learning to distinguish these signature loon noises, bird enthusiasts can identify loon species and behavior simply by sound. Read on to learn more about what each of the four main loon calls means and what purpose it serves for loons.
The Wail
The wail is often considered the classic loon call. It is a long, drawn-out, mournful cry that often rises and falls in pitch.
Of the four common loon vocalizations, the wail carries the farthest and is one of the defining sounds of wilderness lakes in summer. Loons will call back and forth to each other using wails, which allows loon pairs or families to communicate over large distances.
Wailing serves several important purposes in loon communication:
Defending Territory
A long, loud wail lets other nearby loons know that a particular territory is occupied. By wailing back and forth, mated pairs establish and announce their territories. Intruding loons are warned away.
Locating Other Loons
The wail call carries far across water and allows loons to locate other individuals, especially their mates. Wailing helps loon pairs and families stay in contact, though they often swim and fish separately.
Signaling Alarm
When threatened on the water, loons will sometimes give a short, sharp wail to signal danger to their mate or chicks. This helps alert the other loons to retreat or take cover.
Finding Lost Chicks
Parent loons use the wail call specifically to help chick locate them. Chicks respond with a high-pitched wail of their own so the adults can find them.
Loon Species | Wail Call Description |
---|---|
Common Loon | A long, wavering call lasting 3-4 seconds. Often starts and ends at a lower pitch than the middle of the call. |
Red-throated Loon | A shorter, more coarse-sounding wail, around 2 seconds long. The pitch rises slightly at the end of the call. |
Pacific Loon | A low, moaning wail that increases in volume in the middle before fading out. Lasts about 3 seconds. |
Yellow-billed Loon | A high, thin, far-carrying wail. The call wavers and lasts 3-5 seconds. |
Arctic Loon | A shrill wailing call varying in pitch. Often starts high, dips lower, and rises again at the end over 3-4 seconds. |
The Yodel
The yodel is a unique vocalization used only by the Common Loon. As the name suggests, the call sounds like a yodeling warble, wavering rapidly up and down in pitch.
Yodeling serves several social purposes:
Male Territorial Display
The yodel is given almost exclusively by male Common Loons. It is used to defend the male’s territory and attract potential mates. The quavering call carries well across the male’s territory.
Strengthening Pair Bonds
Paired males will yodel repeatedly when their mate is nearby. This helps strengthen the pair bond between the male and female loon.
Communicating Excitement
Common Loons may yodel when agitated or excited, such as when intruders enter their territory or when they are reuniting with their mate after a period of separation. The yodel helps communicate the loon’s emotional state.
Yodel Call Context | Meaning |
---|---|
Solo male’s yodel across territory | Territory defense and advertisement for mates |
Paired male yodeling when female is near | Strengthening pair bond |
Yodeling when agitated or excited | Communicates loon’s emotional state |
The yodel is unique to Common Loons and helps identify them. Other loon species produce moans, tremolo calls and hoots instead of yodeling.
The Tremolo
The tremolo is a rapid, laughing or quivering vocalization made by loons when they are alarmed or feeling threatened. It consists of short, repetitive notes that waver quickly up and down in pitch.
All loon species produce a version of the tremolo cry when agitated. It serves as an important alarm call:
Signaling Danger to Mate or Chicks
When a loon spots a potential threat like an eagle, intruding loon, or human, it will give the staccato tremolo call to warn its family. This causes the other loons to become alert and even retreat.
Aggressive Signal
The tremolo may be given as an aggressive signal to territorial intruders or potential predators. The quivering call indicates the loon is aroused and prepared to defend its territory or young.
Distress Call
A loon may produce the tremolo when captured or handled by researchers. This helps communicate distress and agitation.
Loon Species | Tremolo Call Description |
---|---|
Common Loon | Series of short, laughing notes that waver in pitch. Given in bursts of variable length. |
Red-throated Loon | Very rapid, trilling tremolo. Notes have slight upward inflection. |
Pacific Loon | Laughing, stuttered call consisting of slightly wavering notes. |
Yellow-billed Loon | Chattering tremolo with strongly inflected, wavering notes. Sounds more nasal than other species. |
Arctic Loon | Musical, twittering tremolo call. Notes have distinct rise and fall in pitch. |
The Hoot
The hoot is a shorter, sometimes owl-like vocalization given by loons, often in response to the calls of other loons. Not all loon species hoot.
Common Loon
Common Loons give a low, soft hoot that sounds like “hoo-woo” or “hoo-wah”. It is typically given in response to the calls of other loons to re-establish contact or confirm location.
Red-throated Loon
The Red-throated Loon’s hoot is a short, barking call that sounds like “wow”. It serves a similar purpose as the Common Loon’s hoot, given in response to other Red-throated Loons to maintain contact.
Arctic Loon
The Arctic Loon produces a mellow, hummed hooting call in response to the calls of its mate or other Arctic Loons. This helps the birds relocate each other.
The Pacific Loon and Yellow-billed Loon do not have a typical hoot vocalization as part of their repertoire.
Loon Species | Hoot Call Description |
---|---|
Common Loon | Soft, low “hoo-woo” or “hoo-wah” call |
Red-throated Loon | Short, barking “wow” call |
Arctic Loon | Mellow, hummed hooting |
Conclusion
The four iconic loon vocalizations—the wail, yodel, tremolo, and hoot—all serve important communication purposes for loons. By learning to identify these unique sounds, birdwatchers can recognize different loon behaviors and distinguish between loon species based on their calls alone.
Wailing establishes territories and helps loons locate one another. The yodel is a territorial and pair bonding call used only by male Common Loons. The staccato tremolo signals alarm in response to threats. And the hoot helps loons re-establish contact after responding to other calls.
Next time you are camping near a wilderness lake, listen closely after sunset. If you hear any of these haunting loon songs echoing across the water, you’ll be able to interpret their meaning! Loon calls add beauty and mystery to summer nights in the wild.