Loons

Common Loon, Gavia immer

Family Gaviidae (Loons)

Size: 24"

Season: Year-round

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 has 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 but not commonly heard while here for the winter months. In winter common loons are often seen scattered singly or in pairs along the coast. The breeding adult (top) and nonbreeding adult (bottom) are illustrated.