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Minnesotans Embrace Their Inner Loons
A yearly loon calling competition that pays tribute to the voice of the Common Loon
© National Loon Center
Each year, adults and children gather in Crosslake, Minnesota to celebrate the incredible sounds of the Common Loon — the state bird of the land of 10,000 lakes — by belting out their best impressions. Some of the most impressive competitors are in the Youth category, like 2023’s second place winner Malakai. Hear some strikingly accurate loon calls — and some slightly more creative interpretations — in this episode.
BirdNote®
Minnesotans Embrace Their Inner Loons
Written by Mark Bramhill
This is BirdNote.
[Sound of frogs at night on a Minnesota lake]
On a clear night on a Minnesota lake, a Common Loon lets out its haunting call…
[Aaaeeeaaaea!!!]
[Record scratch]
Well, hang on — that’s not right. That’s a participant in the annual Loon Calling Competition at the National Loon Center!
[2022 youth runner up]
Each year, adults and children gather in Crosslake, Minnesota to celebrate the incredible sounds of the Common Loon — the state bird of the land of ten thousand lakes. Some impressions are striking…
[2022 adult winner]
…while others?
[Singing: "LALALALALALALA!"]
…eh, not so much. Some of the most impressive competitors are actually in the Youth category, like 2023’s second place winner Malakai:
[Malakai’s call]
His mom says he’s spent a lot of time honing his technique at home, next to one of those ten thousand lakes.
Malakai’s mom: He can get them to answer back on the lake, so he sits on the dock and calls, and they call.
But of course, no person can match the beauty of a real loon, singing out from the water.
[Common Loon call]
For BirdNote, I’m Michael Stein.
###
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Conor Gearin
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Common Loon ML158563011 recorded by Jocelyn Lauzon.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2024 BirdNote August 2024
Narrator: Michael Stein
ID# COLO-06-2024-08-19 COLO-06
Mark Bramhill
Writer NarratorSights & Sounds
