DNR: Watch out for loons while boating this 4th of July
A common loon surfaces at DeLong Lake in Anchorage, Alaska, on Thursday, June 14, 2012. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News/MCT via Getty Images)
(FOX 9) - If you’re out on the water this Fourth of July, be careful not to hit the Minnesota state bird.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reminding boaters to watch out for loons, who frequently nest and rear their chicks in areas where boats are moving through quickly. Loon chicks are not able to fly until they are two months old, and they cannot dive underwater for safety like adult loons.
The DNR says boats and other watercraft are a “significant cause” of loon mortality, according to a statement.
The holiday is not the only time loons are at risk. Boaters are advised to keep an out of for them all season long.