{"id":139803,"date":"2025-02-12T04:21:47","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T10:21:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=139803"},"modified":"2025-07-07T12:03:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T17:03:08","slug":"common-loon-vs-fishing-lure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/12\/common-loon-vs-fishing-lure\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Loon vs Fishing Lure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Discarded fishing lures and other tackle can injure, strangle, and kill birds. I don’t know how the story ended for this hooked Common Loon.<\/p>\n

I took this Common Loon photo in April 2023. I\u2019d meant to write about it then, but unforeseen circumstances had me out of state for an extended period of time.<\/p>\n

\"CommonCommon Loon hooked by a fishing lure<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dangers of Discarded Fishing Tackle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fishing line, lures, hooks, and lead weights left behind<\/span><\/a> by anglers are a deadly threat to loons and other wildlife. These discarded items don\u2019t just disappear\u2014they become hazards that can entangle, injure, poison, or kill.<\/p>\n

Fishing line is nearly invisible in the water, making it a serious danger. Birds can swim or take off without seeing it, only to end up tangled. Once wrapped around their wings, legs, or neck, the line can cut deep into their skin, leading to infections, severe injuries, or even death. Struggling only makes it worse, and if a bird can\u2019t free itself, starvation is often the end result.<\/p>\n

Hooks are just as dangerous. A loon grabbing a hooked fish can swallow the hook, puncturing their throat, stomach, or intestines. If the hook lodges in their mouth or digestive tract, it can lead to internal injuries, infection, and an agonizing death. Birds that get hooked externally may be unable to preen or hunt properly, leaving them vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Lures pose their own set of problems. Their bright colors and movement mimic prey, making them tempting, but deadly, false meals. A swallowed lure can block a bird\u2019s digestive system or cause severe internal damage. Even if not ingested, lures with dangling hooks can snag on feathers or skin, creating painful wounds that make flying or swimming difficult.<\/p>\n

Lead weights add another level of danger. If fish-eating birds pick up a lead sinker while catching or consuming prey it can lead to lead poisoning, a slow and painful process that affects the nervous system, weakens muscles, and often results in death.<\/p>\n

How You Can Help<\/strong><\/h2>\n

All of this is preventable.<\/p>\n

Anglers can make a real difference by retrieving lost fishing line, properly disposing of hooks and lures, and switching to non-lead tackle.<\/p>\n

A little extra care goes a long way in protecting loons and other wildlife from a tragic and unnecessary fate.<\/p>\n

I know that many of my birder and bird photographer friends are like me, we pick up trash and discarded fishing gear as we go along. That helps too.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. We can make it better.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Other articles I\u2019ve written on this subject:<\/p>\n

The Dangers of Fishing Line and Hooks for Birds and other Wildlife<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Fishing Line Is A Dangerous Nesting Material<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discarded fishing lures and other tackle can injure, strangle, and kill birds. I don’t know how the story ended for this hooked Common Loon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3527,1254,1253,709],"tags":[4004,4053,3528,14714,16218,16219,7956,4310,13832,3529,4607,10578,3531,10698,1984,165,8018,3996,5123,5541],"class_list":["post-139803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-common-loons","category-environment-wildlife-ethics","category-fishing-line-dangers","category-salt-lake-county-utah","tag-adult","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-common-loon","tag-danger","tag-discarded-fishing-tackle","tag-fishing-gear","tag-fishing-hook","tag-fishing-line","tag-fishing-lure","tag-gavia-immer","tag-injury","tag-loon","tag-loons","tag-park","tag-pond","tag-spring","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-waterbirds","tag-willow-pond"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/common-loon-fishing-lure-inset-mia-mcpherson-4441.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-AmT","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4438,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/18\/the-dangers-of-fishing-line-and-hooks-for-birds-and-other-wildlife\/","url_meta":{"origin":139803,"position":0},"title":"The Dangers of Fishing Line and Hooks for Birds and other Wildlife","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The dangers of fishing line and hooks for birds and other wildlife are real and damaging.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Laughing Gull with fishing line & lure in bill, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/laughing-gull-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-6454.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/laughing-gull-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-6454.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/laughing-gull-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-6454.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/laughing-gull-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-6454.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":112726,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/04\/19\/fishing-line-is-a-dangerous-nesting-material\/","url_meta":{"origin":139803,"position":1},"title":"Fishing Line Is A Dangerous Nesting Material","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"All across the country it is nesting season for many North American birds. For some nesting birds it is also a very dangerous time because of fishing line.","rel":"","context":"In "American Robins"","block_context":{"text":"American Robins","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/thrushes\/american-robins\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Robin with dangerous fishing line, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/american-robin-female-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/american-robin-female-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/american-robin-female-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/american-robin-female-fishing-line-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":112643,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/04\/15\/crazy-about-common-loons\/","url_meta":{"origin":139803,"position":2},"title":"Crazy About Common Loons","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I didn't go out looking for Common Loons. 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