The survey was established in 1981 by the Algonquin Park Museum to collect baseline data on the distribution and breeding of Common Loons on Algonquin Park lakes each year. There was concern that increasing acidification of Algonquin Park lakes might result in the disappearance of breeding loons on some lakes, and collecting data on presence and breeding evidence would be useful information to have for monitoring of the Park population. Participants need to record the lakes where Common Loons are observed, plus any evidence of breeding, including active nests and young.
