Loon Census

The 2021 Loon Census will be held Saturday, July 17th from 8-9 am.

Each year, LPC hosts an annual Loon Census to monitor New Hampshire’s loons and their progress on lakes throughout the state. The invaluable data gathered from census observations are used as:

1. a mid-season check on productivity,
2. a mechanism for discovering unknown birds in each territory,
3. a means to track movement of loons and define relationships between neighboring pairs, and
4. a community based tool for generating interest and involvement in loons.

Click here for a printable PDF of the 2021 Loon Census form.

To contribute observations at other times during the loon season, please see our Field Volunteer page here.

2021 NH Loon Census Results

In 2021, 508 observers covered 123 of New Hampshire’s lakes during the annual loon census, roughly one third of the lakes that LPC surveys and monitors annually. A few loons were still on nests during the census on July 18—definitely a bit on the late side, but not out of question. A total of 495 adult loons were tallied, 6 immature loons (1-2 years old) and 71 loon chicks.