The Great Northern Diver: The Common Loon
Family Ties
Description
With its distinctive black and white checkered plumage, the Common Loon is one of America's most recognizable aquatic birds. It is 24 to 40 inches in length with a wing span of 4 to 5 feet. It has a black head with a heavy, black, dagger-like bill, dark red eyes, a black collar, and a white necklace. During breeding season the plumage on its back is a checkered black and white. Its breast and belly are white. During non-breeding season its back is gray and its belly white. The Common Loon
Loon with a crab
Common Loon (Gavia I...
A fine common loon
Loon on Lake Mary
Common Loon at Bayvi...
Common Loon
The Common Loon has adapted for aquatic life. Its powerful back legs and large webbed feet allow it to make rapid dives and stay under for several minutes. With their legs are set far back on their bodies the Common Loon are great swimmers, but have trouble walking on land. They rarely leave the water.
Range and Habitat
The Common Loon's breeding ground covers a wide stretch of territory across northern North America. They can be found across most of Alaska, Canada, and the northern states such as Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, and New York. They winter along the coast and on open lakes nearby.The preferred nesting habitat is on forested lakes and rivers with large tracts of undeveloped shoreline. They prefer lakes with a small island or bog mat for nesting. Isolated from the shoreline, the nest is inaccessible to raccoons and other egg-eating predators.
The Common Loon
Mating and Nesting
The pairs of Common Loons arrive at their breeding grounds shortly after the ice thaws. The Common Loon are solitary nesters. Smaller lakes will be home to only one mated pair. The larger lakes may have more than one pair as long as each pair has their own territory. They build their nests close to water preferring the sites completely surround by water such as a small island or bog. The same site is often used from year to year.The pair work together to build the nest using pine needles, leaves, grass, and other vegetation collected from the shores and the bottom of the lake. After laying one or two eggs, the eggs are incubated for 26 to 31 days. The newly hatched chicks are covered with brownish black down and can swim immediately. After the first day or two, the chicks do not return to the nest, but spend time resting on the backs of their parents. Until they gain some size, they are vulnerable to predators such as snapping turtles, gulls, eagles, and crows. By the end of the season the young are able to look after themselves.
The Common Loon and other Wilderness Birds
Diet
The Common Loon are carnivores feeding predominantly on fish. They dive down, sometimes going as deep as 200 feet, and catch their prey underwater. They frequently feed on pike, perch, sunfish, trout or bass when in freshwater, and sea trout, flounder, rock fish, and herring when in salt water. 
Call me Grace
Like a jumbo jet, the Common Loon needs long distances for take off. Without the forward momentum, they never get off the ground, or in this case, the water.
Voice
Click on the links below to hear some of the Common Loon's usual calls:
Common Loon Chorus: The Loon Preservation Committee
Distant Wail: The Loon Preservation Committee
Conservation Status
The number of Common Loon inhabiting the northlands has decreased over the years. They prefer the quiet atmosphere of uninhabited lakes, but as more and more lake property is developed, their breed grounds are shrinking. Even on undeveloped lakes, disturbances caused by people paddling, camping, and fishing in the area has had an impact. Ingestion of lead fishing weights, mercury pollution, and acid rain has taken its toll as well.The Common Loon is not currently on any endangered list but their numbers are being closely monitored. We have lost too many birds in the past. We don't want to lose anymore.
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Some of My Favorite Dabblers
Are you as crazy as a loon? I know I am sometimes.
Tipi wrote...
I would have to say that the Loon has one of the pleasent calls. I love to hear them talking to one another. A beautiful lens, as always!
Susie
Posted June 04, 2009
AnthonyWessel wrote...
Excellent lense on loons. I added a link to your lense on my lense Big Sauk Lake. This is one of a collection of lenses that I am producing for lakes that I create lake specific merchandise using CafePress. Thanks again and as a lake cabin owner I have heard the cry of the loon at nighttime for many years.
Posted February 17, 2009
Ramkitten wrote...
There's nothing like the sound of a loon as you're silently gliding along in a canoe on a mist-covered lake. That's what I loved most about my trip to the Boundary Waters. Loons also remind me of my Appalachian Trail hike, when I was making my way through Maine. I washed my hair in Jo Mary Lake early one morning and was serenaded by these wonderful birds.
Posted February 17, 2009
Tipi wrote...
The Loon is the Minnesota State Bird. I grew up hearing their beautiful sounds. It does make one pause when a Loon is in the area. Wonderful birds and the lens is equally wonderful!
Posted February 03, 2009
About the Author
Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen, aka Lizzy Jean, has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 3,690 lenses, favorited 454, and has created 169 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "The Mallard Duck". See all my lenses
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Resources used to construct this page.
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
The Common Loon: Seattle Audubon Society
Eek! Critter Corner: The Common Loon
The Common Loon Fact Sheet: NYS Dept. of Conservation
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