Music ( sighs ) I am out of water.

This is how nature works!

Theme Music Music Water: it’s one of the basics, right up there with food and shelter.

Music When it comes to the basics, we're no different than any other living organism.

We need certain things to survive.

And we live in places that can provide them.

The place that supplies the needs of a particular kind of organism is called its habitat.

All habitats must supply the basic needs of organisms, like food, water, and air.

Habitats also have to provide shelter where babies can be born and protected well enough to survive, and places where an animal can find protection from predators.

If an organism's needs are not met, it will move to a better habitat or it will die.

Habitats can vary in size depending on what an organism needs for survival.

The red squirrel may find its food and water near a hollow tree it uses for shelter, so its habitat is small.

Some animals, like bison, are grazers and need lots of grass for food.

Their habitat can stretch for miles.

Predators like the red-tail hawk also have large habitats, because they often have to travel long distances to find food.

Music Plants have habitats, too.

Music Cactuses don't need much water to survive and can grow in the desert where it's dry, but cattails need more water to survive, and grow in marshes and wetlands.

While all living things have a unique habitat, they often live in the same area.

Organisms that share the same space make up a community.

Red squirrels, weasels, and white pines all have different habitats, but they all can share the same community.

Music Each organism that lives in a community has a special niche.

A niche is a role an organism fills in a community.

For example, the red squirrel is known as a spreader.

It gathers seeds.

Some of the seeds are eaten, but others get left behind and grow into new plants.

The turtles in this pond at the Nature Center live here because the pond supplies everything they need: shelter, food, and water.

Music Turtles share parts of their habitat with water lilies, sunfish, mallards, and muskrats.

Together, these organisms form a community, and each organism fills a niche that helps keep the community healthy.

Music I know Dave’s got some great examples of habitats here at the Nature Center.

I think he's in there.

Music Hi, Dave.

Hi, Patrice.

How are you?

Good.

Just getting ready to put the bird food out for the birds in the aviary here.

So, what types of seeds you have here?

Well, because we have a variety of birds, we have to provide a variety of foods.

A lot of birds here in the aviary eat seeds, so we provide a lot of different kinds of seeds.

We also have some birds that eat insects, so we have mealworms that are a good insect source of protein.

We also have fruits in the form of berries and blueberries and, and cut up pieces of grape.

And we also provide a pelletized diet, which provides a good balance of the vitamins and other nutrients that they need to have.

So how does the Nature Center provide all the basic needs of the birds?

Well, here at the, in the aviary we have to provide everything for them, not just the food.

We have to provide shelter for them.

The mesh on the side of the aviary protects them from predators, which they wouldn't be able to elude in the wild, since these birds have injuries.

Well, but the bushes and the small trees that we have planted in the aviary provide shelter so that they can hide from the other birds.

Also offer some protection from the weather.

And of course they need water.

The water in the pool here provides drinking water.

It also provides a place to bathe.

And they particularly like to bathe underneath the sprinkles from the little waterfall we have over here on the, on the side of the pool.

What happens to the birds if the habitat would change?

In an aviary like this, we have all the control, really, because we've set up an artificial habitat.

But there are birds in the wild that would never be able to adapt to sudden changes or even be able to survive in a captive environment.

A good example of that is the common loon.

Music The common loon is especially adapted for life in and on the water.

It has red eyes, black and white markings, and a long, sharp beak that is perfect for catching fish.

Loons change their habitat to meet their special needs.

They spend the spring, summer, and early autumn on lakes, and the winter on the ocean.

Loons spend most of their time swimming, preening, and just looking for food.

Loons swim with their heads underwater, searching for small fish like perch, minnows and bullheads.

Their red eyes filter out yellow, red, and orange light and make it easier for them to spot fish.

Once they find what they're looking for, they quickly dive and snatch up their prey.

Music Loons need a lot of space for takeoffs and landings, so they choose large lakes for their homes.

Most flying birds have hollow bones, but loons’ bones are solid.

Solid bones are great for diving, but they make it hard to take off quickly.

Loon landings take lots of space and aren't much more graceful than their takeoffs.

Loons land with a long sliding crash on the water before they come to a complete stop.

The loon call is one of its most distinctive characteristics.

Loons use lots of different calls for different reasons.

Male and female loons use long wails to keep in contact with their family members over long distances.

When loons are close together, they communicate with soft hoots.

Males use a call, the yodel, to mark territory.

The yodel is actually a song, and every song is a little bit different.

When there's danger, loons use a call called a tremolo that sounds like a human laugh.

If you're too close to a loon habitat and hear a tremolo, it means back off.

Loons spend the spring and summer on lakes in New England, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Canada.

When fall arrives, they migrate south to the ocean to spend the winter.

Once they get to the ocean, loons complete their molt.

Their glossy black and white feathers are replaced with a coat of dull brown and gray.

Loons become much quieter on the ocean.

They no longer use calls to mark their territory.

They spend their days along rocky shores, where they find lots of rock cod, herring, and sea trout.

The rough ocean is a dangerous place to nest.

If a loon tried to build its nest close to the seashore, the daily tides would wash it away.

So they migrate back to the lakes to build their nests and raise their young.

Nesting loons need a very special habitat.

They need a large supply of freshwater fish, clear shallow water, and low lying land near the water.

Islands make the best nesting spots because they give loons quick access to the water and help keep away egg thieves like the raccoon.

Loons usually only have 1 or 2 chicks a year.

It takes about 29 days for a loon egg to hatch.

After hatching, the loon chicks spend a day drying off before going into the water with their parents.

Once they leave the nest, they never return.

Adult loons will stay with chicks almost constantly for the first 4 to 5 weeks.

The male and female loon will split chick watching duties.

Young loon chicks spend a lot of time on their parent's back.

This helps protect them from predators like snapping turtles and gulls.

It also helps to keep them warm and gives them a place to rest.

The common loon has been around for millions and millions of years, and they're really good at finding what they need in their habitat.

But sometimes they do need a little help.

That's right.

Taylor and Stevie are going to help loon biologist Kathy Wohlfort on Squam Lake.

Music So this is a loon raft that we're going to be putting out onto Squam Lake in a little bit, but we have to check it first to make sure it's okay for the loons.

Music Why do loons need help?

Well, over the years, the lakes that the loons have been nesting on are becoming really popular recreation areas.

So we've built up on a lot of their nesting sites: islands, shorelines, wetland areas.

So we've filled in the wetland areas and we've built up on these shoreline so loons are losing nesting habitat.

And with more people comes more traffic on the lake.

So there's a lot more boats, water skiers, jet skis.

All these are competing with loons for space.

So with all these combined, loons are losing not only nesting sites, but they're losing areas to raise their chicks.

Music Are there things we can do to help loons?

Well, one of the first things we need to do is to give them space.

We need to stay away from their nesting sites, and we need to stay away from them when they're on the water.

We also need to pick up the trash that's around our lakes.

Raccoons and seagulls are really attracted to trash, and they eat loon eggs.

So we need to keep our lakes clean.

One of the most important things we need to do is to change the way we fish.

80% of the loons that die, die because they ingest lead sinkers.

I actually have some alternatives here, made of steel.

They're very effective and very cheap.

So it's really important that we switch from lead to something else.

Music Are they endangered?

Well, actually, in the state of Vermont, they are endangered.

But in the state of New Hampshire, they are threatened.

And the difference is pretty significant.

An endangered species is one that has the chance of becoming extinct.

And a threatened species is one where the numbers have become so low, we really need to pay attention to them.

But just because they're endangered in one state and threatened in another, doesn't mean that the whole species and throughout the entire continent is in jeopardy.

Are the loons really going to use this for a nest?

Chances are they will.

We have a spot specifically set up for this raft.

We know there's a pair there, and it's a really good secluded spot away from traffic and wind.

So if we're lucky, they will.

Want to help me load it onto the boat?

Sure.

Sure.

All right.

Music Good.

All right.

Now watch out.

All right, one,two, three.

Excellent.

Will the loon nest in the same spot?

Yeah.

From year to year, they'll nest in the same spot.

Changes might happen if a predators come through and destroy the nest or boat traffic was too much so the loons didn't like it, so they move their site.

And if that happens, that's where the fun begins.

That's where I have to try and find their new nest site.

This was fun.

Thanks for taking us out here.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

And thank you for helping me.

There's a lot of things that kids your age can do to help the environment and wildlife.

So check into it.

You guys ready to go home?

Yeah, yeah.

All right, let's go.

Music What have we learned today?

A habitat is where an organism gets its food, water, and shelter.

A community is all the different plants and animals that live in the same area.

And a niche is a job that an animal or plant does to help its community.

Now you know how nature works!

Theme Music Major funding for Nature Works was provided by American Honda Foundation.

Additional funding was provided by Alice Freeman Muchnic, Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust, Cogswell Benevolent Trust, the Finisterre Fund, Greater Piscataqua Community Foundation, Morgridge Family Trust, the Natural Areas Wildlife Fund, Rawson L. Wood.

(animal noises)