There’s nothing more beautiful than the mournful wail of loons on a lake or pond in Maine.
In this video contributed by Chris May, you can hear two loons talking to each other at sunset.
Maine loons are more vocal during certain times of the year, especially from mid-May to mid-June.
The Maine Audubon says the state’s common loon has four distinct calls, but what do their vocalizations mean?
Loons use the tremolo, also known as the “crazy laugh,” to sound the alarm to danger, and to advertise and defend territories at night, according to Maine Audubon.
The wail, which sounds somewhat like a wolf howl, is common when loons interact with each other, including to reconnect with a mate or to answer another loon.
The male yodel, which is distinct to each bird, is used to warn off another male encroaching on his territory, Maine Audubon said. It is a long, rising call that can last up to six seconds, Audubon said.
The fourth vocalization is a hoot, which is a one-note call to find and check on family members, the Audubon said.
Maine’s loon population is on the rise, and the Audubon does a loon count each year to keep track of trends.
