Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Massachusetts
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

We document the predation of an active Common Loon (Gavia immer) nest by an immature Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) on Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, Maine. It is likely that with eagle populations increasing in New England and many other parts of the range where Bald Eagles and loons overlap, there will be subsequent increases in Bald Eagle predation on Common Loon nests. This may be important at a local scale on lakes of key concern such as Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge where nest success is declining.