Common Loon

Gavia immerOrder: GAVIIFORMESFamily: Loons (Gaviidae)
Common Loon Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Dagger
  • Eye color: Red iris
  • Head Pattern: Plain
  • Crown color: Gray
  • Forehead color: Brown
  • Nape Color: Glossy black with green sheen.
  • Throat color: White, Brown
  • Cere color:
Common Loon Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 71-91 cm (28-36 in)
  • Weight: 4126 g (145.6 oz)
  • Size: Size 4. Large (16 - 32 in)
  • Color: White, Black
  • Underparts: White
  • Upperparts: Checkered black and white.
  • Back Pattern: Spotted or speckled
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Common Loon Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Rapid direct flight., Strong deep wing beats.
  • Wingspan Range: 127-147 cm (50-58 in)
  • Wing Shape: Tapered-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Rounded Tail, Fan-shaped Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Streaked
  • Upper Tail: Black
  • Under Tail: Black
  • Leg color: Black
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Family Loon (Gaviidae)_blue
Species Gavia immer
Length28 - 36 Inches
Wingspan54 Inches

Common Loon

Common Loon: Large loon, white-spotted, black upperparts and white underparts. Head, neck are green-black with white-streaked neckbands. Bill is black and thick. Eyes are red-brown. Dives for small fish and crustaceans. Direct flight on strong deep wing beats, head, neck and feet extend beyond body.

● Song: "oo-AH-ho", "kee-a-ree"

● Foraging & Feeding: Common Loon: Eats mostly fish and occasionally crustaceans such as crayfish; forages by diving from the surface and chasing down prey underwater.

● Breeding & nesting: Common Loon: One to three olive green to dark brown eggs, with dark brown spots, are laid in a nest made of vegetation near deep water, allowing parents to swim to and from it undetected by predators; eggs remain exposed and uncovered when parents leave the nest to forage. Incubation ranges from 26 to 31 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Common Loon: The rare Yellow-billed Loon has yellow bill that is beveled upwards at tip.

Flight Pattern

Rapid direct flight., Strong deep wing beats.
Common Loon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Common Loon: Breeds from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and northern Canada south to California, Montana, and Massachusetts; also breeds in Greenland and Iceland. Spends winters along the Great Lakes, and the Gulf, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts. Preferred nesting habitat is on forested lakes and rivers; winters mainly on coastal bays and oceans.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationFairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight145.6 Ounces