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The common loon gets its name from a Norwegian word that means “wild, sad cry.” Approximately 12,000 loons make their homes in Minnesota. Loons are large black-and-white birds with long black bills. Clumsy on land, they are excellent divers, underwater swimmers, and high-speed flyers. This is just one of the many cool birds Kids that go to Summer Camp in Minnesota see. Below are just a few of the things children will learn about loons at a Minnesota Summer Camps.

Listen to the Loon: That eerie sound you hear is not a ghost haunting a northern lake . It’s the call of the common loon. This bird, whose ancestors roamed the earth 65 million years ago, can be found on Wisconsin and Minnesota’s northern lakes in the summer, where they come to breed and raise their young. In the fall the loons head to the ocean coastal areas for the winter.

What’s for dinner?: Common items on the loon’s menu are perch, bullhead and sunfish. Loons have also been known to eat frogs, crayfish and even leeches. The long, pointed beak is perfectly shaped for capturing and snapping up these delicacies. Loons dive under the water to chase and grab their prey, swallowing the entire meal in a single gulp.

Loon hitchhikers: As fast as they are in the water, loons have trouble walking on land. Loons don’t spend much time on land except for nesting. The nests are made of weeds and grass and are usually located in grass along the lake shoreline. A loon may use the same nest year after year to lay the two olive-brown eggs. Crows, ravens, gulls, skunks, and especially raccoons will eat the eggs if they can find them. Both male and female loons take turns sitting on the eggs. The eggs hatch in about one month; soon after birth the chicks are already in the water swimming with their parents. Swimming in the cold water is hard on the young chicks, so from time to time they hitch a ride on a parent’s back. This also affords protection from predators such as snapping turtles and muskies.

Loon Watch: In 1978, the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute in Ashland, Wisconsin started a loon conservation program. In 1988 that program was combined with one in Minnesota and given the name Loon Watch. This program trains volunteers to help protect loons and their habitats, track loon populations, and educate the public about loons. The program also sponsors loon-related research and education.

Each July hundreds of Loon Watch volunteers will get up before the sun to go count loons on more than 250 lakes. Much of this information is from the Wisconsin Department or Natural Resources.

When considering a Summer Camps in Minnesota be sure to visit Swift Nature Camp.

Swift Nature Camp is an Overnight Summer Camp in Mn Overnight Summer Camp in Mn, for boys and girls 6-15. Swift is a traditional summer camp with loads of activities plus many see it as a science camp.

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