Common Loon

Overview

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.

Range and 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

INTERESTING FACTS

The strange “yodel” or “loon laughter” of the Common Loon was described by the famous naturalist John Muir. They make underwater fishing dives of up to 200 feet below the surface. They are adapted for diving with heavy bones and eyes that can focus both in air and water. This bird is the state bird of Minnesota. It also appears on the “loonie” coin in Canada. A group of loons has many collective nouns, including an "asylum", "cry", "loomery", "raft", and "water dance" of loons.