Monitoring

First, seek to understand

1975-2008 Loon Population GraphObservation is the start of all good science, and LPC’s work to preserve loons and their habitats begins and ends with monitoring. Counts of loon adults and chicks provide the first indication of problems with our loon population, and are the ultimate measure of our success in surmounting the challenges facing loons in New Hampshire.

LPC collects data on numbers of adult loons, numbers of territorial loon pairs (pairs that defend an area of water and have the potential to produce young), nesting success, and survival of chicks, each year throughout the breeding season. An annual state-wide loon census in July provides a mid-season check on loon populations.

1975-2010 Loon Population Graph
Reproductive success of loons in New Hampshire fell each year between 2004 and 2008.  Since 2006 it has been less than that required to sustain a viable loon population.

With the help of our volunteers, we have kept track of virtually every territorial pair of loons in New Hampshire since 1976. In the process, we have created a database of loon populations and productivity that is unequaled anywhere in the world. This database is an invaluable tool to record trends in loon populations over time, and to measure our effectiveness in addressing the causes of declines in loons.