Mager: ‘Lessons for a Loonatic’

Jay Mager, assistant professor of biological sciences, will present a program "Lessons for a Loonatic: what we currently know about loon ecology, behavior, conservation, and management" for the Greater Akron Audubon Society on Oct. 26.

Mager’s research deals with the behavioral ecology of common loons, the aquatic bird.  He says most of his work has been on acoustic communication with a banded population of birds in north central Wisconsin. 

 “I record loon vocalizations and then try to talk back to them,” he says, “I've learned a lot about the strategies loons use to select and defend breeding territories, which in the long-run can be important to sustain loon populations in an increasingly-developed landscape.  Essentially, I get to spend my summers paddling a canoe and chasing loons.”

In addition to the program in Akron, Mager has scheduled talks to the Trimoraine Audubon at the OSU Lima campus on Feb. 1, the Western Cuyahoga Audubon in Cleveland on April 5, and Grand Valley State University, Mich., on March 30.

Published: Fri, 10/22/2010 - 11:42am