MOULTONBOROUGH, N.H. (AP) - The Loon Preservation Committee in New Hampshire says humans should keep their distance as loon chicks begin hatching on lakes throughout the state.
The committee says many loon chicks are hatching in time for the holiday week and they are asking the public to stay at least 150 feet away.
Signs of distress for loons include craning their necks over the water, thrashing or making vocal sounds. People traveling on boats should exercise caution, the committee says, since newly hatched chicks are small, dark and cannot easily dive.
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Biologists recorded 168 loon chicks hatching in 2017, but 25 percent of those chicks did not survive. Loons are a threatened species in New Hampshire and are protected by federal law.
The annual “loon census” will take place July 21.
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