Action timeline

April 5, 2004 – The Center, along with an international coalition of conservation groups, petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the yellow-billed loon under the Endangered Species Act.

September 25, 2006 – The Center won a lawsuit overturning the Bush administration's plan to open up important loon habitat near Teshekpuk Lake in Alaska to oil leasing.

June 6, 2007 – The yellow-billed loon took a step toward Endangered Species Act protection when the Service reacted to the Center's petition and initiated a status review of the species.

December 19, 2007 – The Center and allies filed suit against the Service to force a proposed rule for listing the yellow-billed loon.

April 10, 2008 – The Service agreed to evaluate the loon's situation and issue a listing decision by mid-February 2009.

March 24, 2009 – The Service concluded that the yellow-billed loon does warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act — to no benefit to the loon. Instead of actually listing the species, the Service claimed its protection was precluded by other actions, putting it on the candidate list to await legal protections indefinitely.

July 12, 2011 – The Center reached a landmark agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Service compelling the agency to move forward in the protection process for 757 species, including the yellow-billed cuckoo.