Maine Loon Rescued From Ice as Sudden Cold Snaps Freeze Lakes

Winter has arrived early in Maine, and that means one of the state’s most iconic birds, the loon, is headed for the coast.

But not every loon makes the trip in time. According to WGME 13, one bird had to be rescued Sunday after becoming stranded on East Pond near Waterville when the surface suddenly froze over.

According to Maine Audubon, loons need a long “runway”, roughly about 100 to 160 feet of open water, to take off and fly. When cold snaps lock up lakes quickly, loons can find themselves trapped with no way to escape. That’s why sightings on inland lakes drop off sharply once temperatures start to fall.

Mady Eori, Community Science Manager with Maine Audubon, told WGME that winter molting is a major reason this becomes dangerous.

“Loons change into their winter plumage, and during that molt they may not be able to fly for a month to a month and a half. That’s often when we see cases of loons getting stuck in ice.”

Eori says other threats also loom over Maine’s loon population, including severe weather, flooding that washes out nests, collisions with boats, and lead poisoning from lost or discarded fishing gear, which remains one of the biggest causes of loon deaths.

Still, there’s good news. Maine Audubon says the loon’s comeback story is far from over. The population has more than doubled since 1983.

“For 2025, we estimate around 3,174 adult loons and about 568 chicks in southern Maine alone,” Eori said.

As for the loon rescued on East Pond, WGME is reporting that it was transported to an animal rehabilitation center in Freedom. Maine Audubon advises people not to intervene with loons on their own, but if a bird appears trapped or in distress, the best step is to call a Maine game warden.