11-16-11: Cry of Loon Fades as Fish Disappear

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111116EIF.mp3

Photo of common loon from iStockphoto

The Chesapeake Bay is an important stopover for many species of migratory birds, including common loons, which visit every fall as they fly south toward warmer regions for the winter. But the number of loons counted on the Choptank River and other Bay tributaries appears to be falling, perhaps because a primary food for the birds -- small, oily fish called menhaden -- are being overfished by industrial fleets out of Virginia.