Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Red-throated Loon

When you see this bird on land, there is a problem!

This immature Red-throated Loon was found scooting itself across a homeowners yard, quite far from any major body of water.

Photos / Blue Ridge Wildlife Center

Loons migrate to our area for the winter, and like other diving ducks with feet set far towards their hind end (see image below), they are not able to walk on land nor take off from land. They require relatively large bodies of water to take off and continue their migration.

At night, especially on rainy days, large parking lots and wet roadways can look like bodies of water to loons migrating overhead. They do not realize that these asphalt surfaces are not waterways until it is too late, resulting in crash landings, the most common cause of admission for these species.

Graphic / Wiley Online Library

Luckily, this loon only suffered minor abrasions and has now been released after just two days in care!

If you find one of these diving ducks on land (loons, grebes, mergansers, etc.), they need help and will not be able to take off on their own. Please call your closest permitted rehabilitator to help evaluate the situation.

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