Common Loon Translocation and Captive Rearing

Restore the Call: A Major Milestone in Loon Conservation

A male loon chick that was translocated in 2015 from the Adirondack Park Region of New York to the Assawompsett Pond Complex (APC) in southeastern Massachusetts returned in 2018 to the region from which it fledged. In the 2020 breeding season, this now adult formed a territorial pair, nested, and successfully hatched a chick in Fall River, Massachusetts. The identification of this loon (through color bands) marks the first confirmed nesting pair in southern Massachusetts in more than a century (photo left).

Translocation—moving chicks from natal lakes to a new lake location and confirming that they fledged from that lake to migrate to wintering grounds.

Common Loon Translocation

A Summary of Methods and Strategies

Translocation involves multiple teams conducting source population surveys, capture and transport, and safely rearing the chicks. This brochure outlines the major steps to develop a viable translocation and restoration process. In addition, we document loons that have returned to their release lakes.

Download the 2020 communications piece here.

Download published scientific research paper here.

ARCHIVE: For a history of this project download archived material.

Ongoing Loon Translocation Work in the Northeast

Settlement funding from the 2003 Bouchard Barge 120 oil spill was awarded to BRI to restore Common Loons to their former breeding range in Massachusetts and to strengthen existing breeding populations within other parts of the state.

The restoration plan includes the release of 45-60 Common Loon chicks from Maine and New York to historic Massachusetts breeding sites at the Assawompset Pond Complex in Lakeville and in the Berkshires.

Captive Rearing Pens
Credits: Translocated loon family © BRI-Ericka Griggs, June 30, 2020; juvenile loon underwater © BRI; Captive rearing pens © WBUR-Jesse Costa