Aquatic pens for loon chick shows feeding tube.
© MassWildlife-Bill Byrne
Captive Rearing of Loon Chicks
Feeding tube for loon chicks in captivity.
© Biodiversity Research Institute
Translocated loon chicks are raised in specially designed aquatic pens until they are old enough to feed on their own (9-10 weeks old).
The BRI team devised an innovative technique to monitor and feed the loons without being seen, which ensures that the chicks do not become habituated to humans during the rearing process.
Feeding chicks in captivity was a trial and error process. Finally, researchers figured out that the sound of the splash made by the fish when a parent loon dropped food next to the chick was the catalyst for the chick to go after the fish.