Subject: Re: Loon babysiting?
Date: Jun 15 17:11:26 1996
From: Christopher Hill - cehill at u.washington.edu


Susan,

As a sometime Michigander who has spent thirty summers on a lake quite
close to Torch Lake, I would second the Common Merganser suggestion. No
loon in my experience has ever had more than two chicks tagging along,
while it is quite common to see female common mergs (which are increasing
on lakes in that region) with more than a dozen young in tow. Reddish
head, red beak and gray body should be noticable on the female merg.

Chris Hill
Everett, WA
cehill at u.washington.edu


On Thu, 13 Jun 1996, Susan L. Collicott wrote:

>
> Tweets -
>
> A friend of mine back in the Copper Country of Michigan (Torch Lake, to
> be precise) was wondering if loons ever 'babysit' for one another. He
> says he frequently sees loons with 12 or more babies, on Torch Lake.
>
> It's been suggested that it could be a common merganser, instead. But do
> they have broods that large, or do they babysit?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Susan Collicott
> camel at serv.net
> Seattle, WA
>