"Wilderness can be appreciated only by contrast and solitude understood only when we have been without it." - Sigurd F. Olson

 

 

 

 

Call O’ the Loon -“Stop Using Lead, Please!”

 

It would be hard to imagine a northern Wisconsin lake without them. Their haunting calls and timid nature make them an icon for almost any lake. Loons are one of the most enchanting birds in Wisconsin and it’s no surprise that they capture so much attention. The loon is an important symbol of our state and a high public interest in loons has lead to increased conservation efforts.

 

Loons are considered one of the most primitive birds on earth because they have not changed from their current form for the last one million years. There are only five species of loons in the world, with the Common Loon being the only breed to reside in the lower forty-eight states. These birds

call Wisconsin lakes home from April until they depart in late August and September for the warmer climates of the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico.

 

Loons are a very particular bird and not just any lake will do when selecting a nesting site. Lakes that are fifty acres or smaller (slow, no wake lakes) are most often chosen with most loons needing at least a ten acre lake for room to take off. They tend to live on lakes of all different shapes, but usually a lake with an irregular shoreline is best because it provides peninsulas, coves, and islands that can protect a pair of nesting loons. Water quality is also a main concern for loons since they need clean, clear water as they peer underwater to search for fish. Lakes that have limited water clarity due to pollution, algae blooms, or the stirring up of bottom sediments can drive

loons away from nesting there.

 

Loons, like many other water birds, do not have teeth and have to swallow their food whole. With the average loon eating approximately two pounds of fish each day, they need to ingest small pebbles from the bottom of a lake or river, which enables their gizzard to break down fish bones. Loons can have as many as 20 – 30 pebbles in their gizzard at one time. This act of swallowing pebbles is, ironically necessary for the bird’s survival, but it also poses a significant risk for them. When lead fishing sinkers and jig heads are lost through broken lines or other means, loons can inadvertently consume them when they are scooping up pebbles.

 

Lead is a toxic metal that attacks the nervous and reproductive systems of loons and other water birds. A poisoned bird will exhibit signs of being disoriented, skinny, or lethargic. Loons that ingest lead often die within two to three weeks. In addition to direct ingestion, loons can suffer from lead

poisoning after eating fish that have ingested lead.

 

A study done by the Department of Natural Resources in Minnesota discovered that even though individual fishermen lose only small amounts of tackle on each fishing trip, it does add up to a large amount of lead being left behind in lakes. It is estimated that more than one ton of lead was deposited in five Minnesota lakes during the summer of 2004!

 

In addition, research since 1987 on loons from six New England states has shown 44% of dead and dying adult loons had lead poisoning, with virtually all cases pointing to lead tackle as the culprit. Another fifteenyear study in Michigan revealed that leadpoisoning, primarily from lead jigs, was the number one cause of loon death at 24% of overall mortality. Here in Wisconsin the Department of Natural Resources Health Program reports an even higher rate of 30% of dead loons submitted having lost their lives from lead poisoning. Stopping the deadly effects of lead poisoning for some of Wisconsin’s most treasured feathered friends is surprisingly simple.

 

First, anglers can stop using lead sinkers, jigs, split shot, and other fishing equipment that is made from lead. There are a number of leadfree alternatives that are not very costly, which include steel, tin, tungsten, bismuth, pewter, ceramic, densified plastic, and glass materials.

 

Second, when disposing of your lead tackle, do it properly. Do not throw lead tackle away in a lake or trash can. Instead, take it to your local household hazardous waste collection site or scrap metal collector.

 

Third, spread the word! Contact your local bait and tackle shops and encourage them to stock lead-free tackle. Let your fishing friends know about the negative impact that lead tackle has on not only loons, but the entire lakes ecosystem.

 

Loons are an icon of northern Wisconsin and deserve a safe home on our treasured lakes. With the help of Wisconsin’s anglers, lake owners and citizens, the loon will remain on Wisconsin lakes for years to come.

 

Katie Bosco

UW-Stevens Point

Undergraduate Student

 

Printed in Lake Tides

 

Approval for publication from:

UW Extension Lakes

Kim Becken

 

 

 

Do a Little to Help a Lot 

 

 

A few simple acts can make a big difference for the lake's habitat. Some things that we can do to be a good neighbor include:

 

Maintain a 35 - 75 foot buffer of no-mow area from the water's edge, and keep shelter for fish and aquatic life by not putting herbicides in the water.

Fish with wildlife in mind: Pick up monofilament fishing line before it gets wrapped around the feet of loons and duck and use non-lead tackle because lead is poisonous to birds and fish.

 

Give wildlife their space: Especially when nesting or with young chicks, loons are very sensitive to human disturbance. Give them 200 feet of clearance, and don't visit the islands of shore they nest on until after they are finished.

 

 

 

Bugleweed                                                                                              Common Thrift

Lily-of-the-Valley                                                                                     Birdsfoot Trefoil

Canby Paxistima                                                                                     Moss Plox

Running Pine*                                                                                         Low Japanese Fleece Flower

Canada Wildginger*                                                                               Wineleaf Cinquefoil*

Japanese Pachysandra                                                                           Stone Crop

Purpleleaf Wintercreeper Econymus                                                        Bearberry*

Periwinkle

Hosta (ground cover types)

 

*Native to Wisconsin