- Dates
- 2007-12 – 2008-05
- Kind
- Occurrence
- Where
- Beaver Island
- Eras
- Modern era
- Concepts
- animalsbiologyinvasive-speciesenvironmentwildlife
- Within
- Beaver Island
Summary
The Beacon reported unusually large numbers of dead loons and other migratory, fish-eating birds along Beaver Island beaches. Jacque LaFreniere was quoted as reporting about 67 loon bodies during the fall, including 27 dead birds—15 loons—in a half-mile stretch at Greene’s Bay. The article attributed the deaths to an apparent Type E botulism outbreak and discussed a possible food-web connection involving invasive mussels and round gobies.
Readers were told not to touch the birds or let pets eat them and to report finds so they could be documented. Whether Island-nesting loons were affected was left unresolved until spring.
Evidence limits
The cause is preserved as apparent and source-reported; this record does not independently diagnose botulism, identify every carcass, or establish effects on the resident loon population.
Sources
- Beaver Beacon, December 2007, "Alarming Bird Deaths".Reports approximately 67 loon bodies, a Greene's Bay concentration, an apparent Type E botulism outbreak, invasive-species context, and public handling guidance. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 2007-12_Beaver-Beacon
- The held issue scan confirms the bird-death report and photograph.data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 2007-12_Beaver-Beacon
Added 5 August 2026. Recent changes
Cite this article
Beaver Island Archive, “Beaver Island reports an alarming number of dead migratory birds, 2007”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/events/beaver-island-loon-deaths-botulism-2007/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, December 2007, "Alarming Bird Deaths". (and 1 further source listed on the page).
Last revised 2026-08-05. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.
BibTeX for “Beaver Island reports an alarming number of dead migratory birds, 2007”RIS for “Beaver Island reports an alarming number of dead migratory birds, 2007”