Nest-Site for a Common Loon

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker, another nest-site specialist, is adapted for life in a mature pine forest. This bird usually selects a living pine over 75 years old as a nest site. These older trees are often infected with a fungus that softens the heartwood, making their nest excavation easier.

Other species are also limited by specific nest-site requirements. For example, Common Loons in Minnesota and other northern states seem best suited to lakes with tiny islands. A loon's legs are at the very back of the body. They are well adapted for swimming underwater, but they are not much use for walking on land. A loon must nest on the ground where it can easily slip in and out of the water. Unless on an island, its nests are quite vulnerable.