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'Patriarch' state's odlest banded loon is dead (October 18, 2012) |
The bird known as "Patriarch" was 21 years old. He was among the first loons in the region fitted with leg bands for scientific observation, and was the oldest banded loon still living in northern Michigan.
He was born along Antrim County's Clam Lake and established a territory on nearby Lake Bellaire.
Biologist Joe Kaplan said Wednesday the bird flew more than 42,500 miles during yearly migrations and may have had at least 16 offspring.
A necropsy determined that Patriarch died of Avian botulism, which has killed many shorebirds in the Great Lakes region. Scientists believe toxins accumulate in the fatty tissues of the round goby, a fish many birds eat.
