We receive thousands of entries to our annual photo contest, and although our judges didn’t select the shot above as a winner, the loon’s cute little outstretched leg definitely got us curious. So we brought the photo, taken by Joanne Cormier in Baker Lake, N.B., to an expert. “This is likely what loon biologists call a foot waggle,” says Doug Tozer, the director of waterbirds and wetlands at Birds Canada. Many types of loons can be seen raising one foot in the air as we see in the photo, and then either holding it there for a brief time or shaking it (hence the “waggle”), often several times in succession. Tozer says they probably do this primarily for comfort (who doesn’t love a good stretch?) or to thermoregulate. The behaviour can also be observed during stressful situations, such as when a boat approaches a bit too close. Hoping to catch a glimpse? Experts say foot waggles can happen anytime but are most likely to be observed within one hour of sunrise and one hour of sunset.
This story originally appeared in our August ’23 issue.
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