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29 December 2021 Wintering Common Loons (Gavia immer) exhibit daily social behavior on Lake Jocassee Reservoir, South Carolina
James D. Paruk, Brooks Wade, Allison Byrd, John N. Mager
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Abstract

We investigated both social and foraging plasticity in a population of Common Loons (Gavia immer) that overwinter inland on Lake Jocassee Reservoir, South Carolina, using transects and time-activity budgets from 4 January to 10 March 2017. Loons were observed as either solitary individuals (65%) or in groups (35%, i.e., within ≤5 body lengths of another loon). Loons were more social (i.e., in groups) on transects with a river mouth (40.9% ± 7.1) than on transects without a river mouth (24.2% ± 5.4). The mean (± SE) dive duration for solitary loons was 71.3 ± 7.7 s (n = 46, range 15–219 s) and several dives exceeded 2 min (22.2%, 10/46). In contrast, 15 foraging flocks were characterized by numerous shallow dives of <20 s. The mean group size (± SE) was 6.9 ± 0.8 individuals and group foraging bouts lasted 8.3 ± 1.2 min. In addition, Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) and Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) joined loons forming multispecies foraging flocks, 26.7% and 13.3% of the time, respectively. These data indicate Common Loons wintering at Lake Jocassee are social and exhibit foraging plasticity.

James D. Paruk, Brooks Wade, Allison Byrd, and John N. Mager "Wintering Common Loons (Gavia immer) exhibit daily social behavior on Lake Jocassee Reservoir, South Carolina," The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 133(2), 326-333, (29 December 2021). https://doi.org/10.1676/20-00089
Received: 27 July 2020; Accepted: 22 July 2021; Published: 29 December 2021
KEYWORDS
Great Northern Diver
loon
sociality
winter behavior
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