Re: [cobirds] Status of Yellow-billed Loons in Colorado

The Birds of the World account for the yellow-billed loon (latest version published in 2020) includes this:

"A recent phenomenon (beginning in the 1980s) has been the accumulation of records of Yellow-billed Loons migrating and wintering well inland in North America. Although some inland sightings were questioned by Phillips (33), there have been photographically documented records for such inland areas as interior British Columbia, eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Illinois, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas, as well as careful sight records for Missouri and elsewhere (records from North American Birds, eBird). Many of these records were from artificial reservoirs that represent new potential habitat for this species. The recent discovery of these birds, however, probably stems from new information on field identification of loons in basic plumage that has only recently become widely available."

And this:

"In general, individuals breeding in northern Alaska fly through the Bering Strait and winter off the coast of Asia, while those in central Canada fly south overland and winter off the Pacific coast of North America. Those breeding on the Seward Peninsula and in northern Canada, winter in both places."

On Fri, Jan 17, 2025 at 8:50 AM Mary Geder <mfg5000@live.com> wrote:

And then there was the June YBL at McClellan Reservoir. 

Mary Geder

Jefferson Co

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 17, 2025, at 8:47 AM, Peter Gent <gent@ucar.edu> wrote:



All,

The CBRC has 35 records of Yellow-billed Loon, which can be seen at   https://cobrc.org/Reports/SpeciesDetail.aspx?id=59

There were 3 records in 2018, 3 in 2020, and 2 in 2022.  There were about 5 birds in CO in late 2024, so that does seem to be an increase in the maximum number of birds in winter and well above average. These birds were seen at Pueblo Res, Cherry Creek Res, Chatfield Res, Union Res and Boyd Lake.  These are places that have been well birded over many years, so this number does seem rather unusual.  What was unprecedented was that a bird spent all of last summer in south Denver mostly at McClellan Res. Does this mean that the species has increased in numbers recently or is breeding further east than before?  I do not know the answers to these questions.

Cheers,  Peter Gent.

Chairman CBRC.

On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 5:17 PM Robert Righter <rorighter@earthlink.net> wrote:

Hi All

In  1992 with the publication o Colorado Birds, the Yellow-billed Loon was considered a casual fall migrant (5 records) and winter resident  (4 records). According to this winter's eBird reports there has been multiple sightings, at multiple reservoirs. Something is going on with the Yellow-billed Loon. Could they be having more successful breeding in the arctic (if so why) thus significantly more YBLO are moving south in the winter? Usually there isn't just one reason to explain phenomenon, but multiply inter-connected reasons.

Anyone have any ideas!

Bob Righter
Denver, CO 






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