This is Birdnoth.

On a clear night on a Minnesota lake,

a common loon lets out its haunting call. Well, hang on, that's not right.

That's not right.

That's a participant in the annual loon calling competition at the National Loon Center.

Each year adults and children gather in Cross Lake, Minnesota to celebrate the incredible

sounds of the common loon, the state bird of the land of 10,000 lakes. Some impressions are striking. while others

and not so much. Some of the most impressive competitors are actually in the youth category,

like 2023 second place winner Malachai. His mom says he spent a lot of time honing his technique at home next to one of those 10,000 lakes.

He can get him to answer back on the lake,

so he sits on the dock and calls and they call.

But of course, no person can match the beauty of a real loon, singing out from the water.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.