Support Minnesota's Loons

As part of the Minnesota Loon Restoration Project, the Nongame Wildlife Program is working closely with federal partners (the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) to monitor loon activity on Minnesota lakes and support safe loon habitat. And you can help!

 

Volunteer with the Loon Watcher Survey 

The Volunteer Loon Watcher Survey is perfect for any loon enthusiast who lives on or regularly visits Minnesota lakes during the summer.

Loon Watchers will observe loons on their lake at least once per month (May through August) and report their findings back at the end of the season. This data helps us better understand loons in Minnesota and guides conservation of our state bird. Thanks to our volunteers, we have over 40 years of data on Minnesota’s loons!

Sign up today to help us continue learning.

A closeup of two loon heads

 

Join the Minnesota Loon Monitoring Program 

The Minnesota Loon Monitoring Program is another great opportunity to help the DNR research common loons. It’s a shorter time commitment than the Volunteer Loon Watcher Survey; volunteers are asked to visit their selected lake one morning during a 10-day period in the summer and count the number of adult and juvenile loons.

This data helps us track population and reproductive success of Minnesota’s common loons, and helps us anticipate any problems that could jeopardize the future of our state bird.

Interested? Please visit the online lake availability map and sign up for an available lake.

A loon on the water with its wings outstretched

 

Help spread the word to "Get the Lead Out" 

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is leading the Get the Lead Out program to reduce the use of lead fishing tackle, which contributes to loon mortality. MN DNR is partnering with MPCA to carry out the following strategies. Please consider becoming a partner as well.

Strategies to reduce the use of lead-based tackle include:

  • Encouraging anglers and lake users to recycle lead tackle at their county Household Hazardous Waste facility
  • Hosting a lead tackle collection event and distributing lead-free tackle (provided by Get the Lead Out) with lake association members
  • Inviting MPCA and DNR employees to speak with lake associations and schools
  • Asking lake users, residents and lake association members to volunteer to be the leader for Get the Lead Out activities for individual lakes
  • Encouraging your local bait and tackle shops to provide lead-free tackle options

 

To get involved, contact [email protected]

 

Restoration of Common Loons in Minnesota (Minnesota Loon Restoration Project) is funded by the Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Deepwater Horizon settlement.

A cartoon of a loon with the words Get the Lead out beneath itPhoto courtesy of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

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