Common Loon

This common loon in winter plumage was found grounded and bleeding. After a rescue effort and a healing stay at our hospital, he was released to a wonderful lake by volunteer Jake Margerum, where he can get his bearings first and then complete his migration. Common loons are highly aquatic and can fly, swim, and dive like champs, but they can't walk on land (they just awkwardly lurch forward, kind of like seals), and they need water to take off into the air. Details like this are critical to rehab, because each species is very different and has very different needs.