A loon chick with its parents at Lake St Catherine in Vermont
Vermont’s adult loon population is at an all-time high, but scientists have noticed a recent decrease in the number of chicks surviving.
In 2024, Vermont saw a record-breaking 123 nesting pairs, 11 of which landed at first-time nesting sites. Out of the 125 loon chicks that hatched in 2024, 65% survived through the end of August, slightly below the 2004-23 average of 76%, according to the Vermont Center for EcoStudies.
Eric Hanson, a biologist for the Vermont Loon Conservation Project, said the three main reasons for less chick survival are competition, habitat loss, and predation from eagles and other wildlife.
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Flooding in Vermont in recent years has contributed to habitat loss and affected nesting success. Twenty-one nests were flooded in the summers of 2023 and 2024, a stark contrast to the one flooded nest reported during the drier summers from 2020 to 2022, according to the center’s 2024 loon season summary.
Nesting loons make their homes in smaller lakes when larger lakes are taken by other pairs of loons with established breeding grounds there. These sites tend to have more marginal habitat, often lacking protective features like marshes or islands. Nests built there are more exposed to predators, such as eagles and snapping turtles. Adults must also leave small lakes to feed in bigger areas where fish are plentiful, and the additional time spent away from their young can lead to their neglect, according to the season summary.
A higher presence of adult loons also creates territorial conflict, resulting in “turf battles” between loons that could prevent a pair from nesting, Hanson said. Chick casualties can also occur during these encounters.
However, lower nesting success rates are part of a natural process as the loon population begins to level out, he said.
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” data-medium-file=”https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-300×201.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-1200×804.jpg” fifu-data-src=”https://i2.wp.com/vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-scaled.jpg?ssl=1″ alt=”A common loon with black and white plumage swims on a calm body of water.” class=”wp-image-625548″ srcset=”https://i2.wp.com/vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-scaled.jpg?ssl=1 2560w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-300×201.jpg 300w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-1200×804.jpg 1200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-125×84.jpg 125w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-768×515.jpg 768w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-1536×1029.jpg 1536w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-2048×1372.jpg 2048w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-1024×686.jpg 1024w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-2000×1340.jpg 2000w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-780×523.jpg 780w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-400×268.jpg 400w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-3-706×473.jpg 706w” sizes=”(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px”>A loon glides on the water of the Green River Reservoir in spring. Photo by Fiona MacLean courtesy of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
“Loons overall are doing really well, and we don’t need to see success all the time,” Hanson said.
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Biologist Jillian Killborn said this new phase is a balancing act on the landscape. After years of great success in increasing the loon population, slower growth and productivity is to be expected.
“With any wildlife population, there’s natural checks and balances that are built into populations when they start to get too high or exceed carrying capacity on the landscape,” Killborn said. Now, scientists are figuring out how many loons will remain in Vermont long term and where, she said.
Despite the drop in chick survival rates, Vermont loon chicks do better than those in eastern Maine, New Hampshire and the Adirondack region, according to preliminary data from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies.
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” data-medium-file=”https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-300×225.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-1200×900.jpg?crop=1″ fifu-data-src=”https://i1.wp.com/vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-scaled.jpg?ssl=1″ alt=”” class=”wp-image-625546″ srcset=”https://i1.wp.com/vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-scaled.jpg?ssl=1 2560w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-300×225.jpg 300w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-1200×900.jpg?crop=1 1200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-125×94.jpg 125w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-768×576.jpg 768w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-1536×1152.jpg 1536w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-2048×1536.jpg 2048w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-800×600.jpg?crop=1 800w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-600×450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-400×300.jpg?crop=1 400w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-200×150.jpg?crop=1 200w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-1024×768.jpg 1024w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-2000×1500.jpg 2000w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-780×585.jpg 780w, https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Loon-Population-Vermont-1-706×530.jpg 706w” sizes=”(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px”>Biologist Eloise Gerard and several volunteers placed signs on the Green River Reservoir in spring 2025. Photo by Fiona MacLean courtesy of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
Since 1983, volunteers and biologists have been gathering on the third Saturday of July for LoonCount Day, a survey of adult and nesting loons in water bodies statewide. On July 19, Hanson said he expects more than 200 participants to visit 175 lakes in Vermont to tally the number of birds. These efforts are important for tracking loon health, nesting success and the identification of emerging threats, he said.
“We’re just trying to hit everything,” he said. “We’ve expanded that out as loons start to land on smaller ponds compared to what they used to do.”
In tandem with LoonCount Day, the Vermont Loon Conservation Project at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies organizes an annual loon monitoring program, during which volunteers take regular trips to lakes throughout the summer season to post signs in nesting areas and keep tabs on new and known nesting pairs.
Volunteers paddle to shoreline nesting sites to place signs to alert the public of loon habitats on the Green River Reservoir in spring 2025. Photo by Fiona MacLean courtesy of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
The nesting signs respectfully ask boaters to give the loons a little space since they are highly territorial, especially during breeding season. If humans get within 10 feet of their nest and the birds feel it’s threatened, they’re more likely to abandon it, Hanson said.
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In attempts to curb disruptions along ecologically sensitive shorelines, Vermont passed one of the most protective statewide wake sport regulations in the country in April 2024. However, Hanson said kayakers and people fishing in boats close to the shore create more harm for loons than far-off wake boats.
Volunteers contribute to monitoring efforts for Vermont’s loons by placing signs along shoreline nesting sites at Green River Reservoir in spring 2025. Photo by Fiona MacLean courtesy of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
“If we can give them that little bit of space, they’re more likely to hunker down and watch you go by,” he said.
In addition to shoreline disturbances, recreational fishing poses another serious threat to loon survival. After a period of decline, loon deaths due to lead poisoning from ingesting tackle have risen again over the past six years, Hanson said. Ingestion of lead tackle, monofilament fishing line and fishing hooks remains the cause of more than half of loon deaths in Vermont.
Vermont banned the use and sale of small lead sinkers in 2007, but despite the ban’s initial success, loons are still ingesting poisonous tackle, according to Hanson and Killborn. To address the issue, the Vermont Loon Conservation Project partnered with lake associations and the Fish & Wildlife Department last summer to install lead tackle and fishing line collection sites at around 30 public boat access sites, which they plan to add to this year.
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byEmma Cotton
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Responsible fishing, boating and recreation are vital to loon health and survival, Killborn and Hanson said. As Vermont’s loon population stabilizes, they emphasized that the next phase of conservation will depend on how well humans learn to share the landscape.
Either way, Killborn said loon numbers are increasing at a sustainable rate, and overpopulation is not yet an issue. “I’m not sure if we’ll ever get there, depending on conditions,” she said.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Brett Decker Jr. had 23 points in Liberty’s 79-73 victory against Vermont on Monday.
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Decker shot 7 for 11 (5 for 7 from 3-point range) and 4 of 7 from the free-throw line for the Flames (5-0). Zach Cleveland added 14 points while going 6 of 7 and 2 of 6 from the free-throw line while he also had six rebounds and seven assists. Kaden Metheny shot 5 for 14 (1 for 7 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points.
TJ Long led the way for the Catamounts (4-2) with 19 points. Gus Yalden added 17 points for Vermont. TJ Hurley finished with 15 points.
Metheny led Liberty with 12 points in the second half.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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STORRS, Conn. – No. 9 UConn women’s hockey secured a decisive 4-0 win over Vermont on Friday night at the Toscano Family Ice Forum. Julia Pellerin led the way for the Huskies scoring three of UConn’s four goals in the win. UConn moves to 4-1 in Hockey East play and 9-3-1 overall this season.
UConn netminder Tia Chan was stout throughout, making 18 saves, earning her second shutout of the season.
The first period began with Vermont winning the opening faceoff and testing the Huskies’ defense early with a series of blocked and saved shots. UConn responded with offensive pressure, leading to a power-play opportunity after a tripping penalty against Vermont. Junior forward Julia Pellerin capitalized on the power play, finishing a great no-look pass at the back post from Livvy Dewar. This goal marked the beginning of a standout performance for Pellerin, who would go on to record her second career hat trick, and first in a UConn uniform.
Both teams continued to trade shots, but the Huskies maintained their 1-0 lead going into the first intermission, with shots favoring UConn, 17-8.
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During the second period, UConn extended their lead with a series of effective plays, leading to goals. Pellerinonce again found the back of the net, marking her fourth goal of the season, putting UConn up 2-0.
Shortly after, UConn doubled their lead as Brooke Campbell added another for the Huskies with a re-directed shot in front of goal, making it 3-0.
The Huskies advantage grew to four when Pellerin completed her hat trick on the power play, going bar down from a near impossible angle. UConn maintained a commanding 4-0 lead going into the final period. Shots favored the Huskies in the second period, 13-3.
UConn maintained their four-goal lead throughout a scoreless third period. Despite multiple shot attempts from both teams, neither side could find the back of the net in the final 20 minutes. The period concluded with the Huskies securing a 4-0 victory to open the weekend series.
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UConn will conclude the weekend series with Vermont on Saturday, November 22. Puck drop is set for 2:00pm at the Toscano Family Ice Forum. TICKETS
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Volunteers paddle to shoreline nesting sites to place signs to alert the public of loon habitats on the Green River Reservoir in spring 2025. Photo by Fiona MacLean courtesy of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies 100vw, 2560px”><figcaption class=)
Volunteers contribute to monitoring efforts for Vermont’s loons by placing signs along shoreline nesting sites at Green River Reservoir in spring 2025. Photo by Fiona MacLean courtesy of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
