Loon Census

The 2020 Loon Census will be held Saturday, July 18th 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.

2020 NH Loon Census Results

In 2020, 501 observers covered 118 of New Hampshire’s lakes during the annual loon census, just under 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 481 adult loons were tallied, 4 immature loons (1-2 years old) and 83 loon chicks.

The 2021 Loon Census form will be available in July 2021.

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