There are a lot of reasons why loons are struggling in the wild. The first, is that loons are a K selective organisms. Meaning they produce offspring very slowly. A loon only lays 1 or 2 eggs each year, so they have to make each baby count.
Loons also have very picky nesting habits. They are territorial animals, it is rare to find more than one couple of loons on the same lake. Furthermore, Loons will not nest if a lake is too noisy, or polluted. If a loon cannot find a nesting spot, it wont mate and lay eggs.
Loons are high level consumers, meaning they depend upon a lot of other organisms for their food. This makes it hard for them to survive, especially in areas affected by humans.
Luckily, loons have a very large range. They spread across all of Canada, parts of the United States, and even some parts of Europe! This large range increases their chances of survival. They also have a wide niche. They are picky nesters, but they sure aren't picky eaters! They eat off sorts of things, from fish, to small birds to small mammals. Being able to get food from so many sources increases the loons chances of survival.
Loons are high level consumers, meaning they depend upon a lot of other organisms for their food. This makes it hard for them to survive, especially in areas affected by humans.
Luckily, loons have a very large range. They spread across all of Canada, parts of the United States, and even some parts of Europe! This large range increases their chances of survival. They also have a wide niche. They are picky nesters, but they sure aren't picky eaters! They eat off sorts of things, from fish, to small birds to small mammals. Being able to get food from so many sources increases the loons chances of survival.
