Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

How to Interpret Loon Calls

The common loon is a large waterbird with a shape very similar to that of a duck. It is a common bird in rural parts of the northern United States, and while they are easy to see sitting low in the water, it is more common to hear some of the loon's vocalizations. There are four different types of loon calls, each with its own distinctive sound and meaning.

Instructions

- 1
  Listen for the length and loudness of the call. If the loon's call is short, abrupt and soft, it is most likely a hoot. A hoot is a sound the loon makes when it wants to locate another loon nearby. Hoots are most common between bonded pairs and parents and their chicks.
- 2
  Listen for the rhythm of the call. If the loon's call is long and loud, with several bursts of noise that ends in longer, swinging calls, it is a yodel. Only male loons yodel, and each yodel is unique to the male that makes it. Yodels are loud sounds that are meant to scare off intruders.
- 3
  Consider the length and tone of the call. A tremolo is the signature loon laugh, and it is a high-pitched rising call with several short notes. There is a staccato beat to to the call, and it often repeats as it is a warning or alarm sound. A tremolo is the only call used while the loon is flying.
- 4
  Listen for repeats and tone. If you notice that the call is a single rising note with a short fall at the end, and it is repeated over and over again, it is a wail. Loons use wails to locate each other.

Animals & Science