BIRDS
Common Loon, Gavia immer
Family Gaviidae (Loons)
Size: 24"
Range: Throughout the United States
Habitat: Coastal waters, inland lakes
Riding low in the water outside the surf zone, this heavy waterbird periodically dives for fish, propelled by its strong webbed feet. Designed for a life in the water, it has legs set far back on its body, which makes walking on land a clumsy affair and takeoff into the air labored. In the winter this bird is usually seen in its drab gray-and-white plumage, unlike the flashy black-and-white spotted plumage it sports during the summer in northern lakes. Its call is a haunting yodel. The common loon can be distinguished from other loons by the horizontal posture of its large bill (not held upward).
Track size: 4ΒΌ" wide x 5" long
Description of Track: Feet are artiodactyl, with toe one to the rear and toes two, three, and four to the front and larger. The three forward toes are thin and long, with the fourth toe very small and raised on the leg and not registering in the track. There is complete webbing between the forward toes to aid in swimming. The claws are short but may appear as dots in the track. There is a prominent metatarsal depression. The gait is a clumsy walk, often accompanied by drag from the breast.