Common Loon

Gavia immer

The common loon is a long-bodied, duck-like swimming bird with:

• Large webbed feet.
• A thick, dagger-like bill that it holds straight ahead.

The common loon's appearance varies depending on the time of year:

• In winter the common loon's plumage is blackish above and whitish below with a pale gray bill. It has a white throat with an irregular, indented neck pattern.
• During breeding season its plumage has a distinctive black-and-white checkered back and “necklace,” along with a black head and bill.

Common loons grow to about 28 to 36 inches with an average wingspan of 58 inches. In flight, loons have a hunchbacked appearance, the bill held straight ahead and large feet trailing behind.

Where does the common loon live?

Common loons begin arriving to the Bay in late September after migrating from their northern breeding grounds.

• By October and November, thousands of loons can be found on the open waters of the Bay and its rivers.
• As winter draws near, the large flocks continue their southward flight, leaving the Bay for the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
• In February and early March, loons return to the Bay, this time in their distinctive breeding plumage.
• Soon after their arrival, loons begin their migration back to their northern breeding grounds.

What does the common loon eat?

Common loons feed heavily on Atlantic menhaden and other small fish.

• Loons constantly hunt throughout the day, "peering" below the surface of the water to find prey and then diving below to chase it down.
• Loons feast throughout the fall to hold themselves over during their winter molt, when they are not able to swim or fly.
• When they return to the Bay in late winter, loons once again eat large amounts of menhaden in preparation for their return flight to the north.

What does the common loon sound like?

Common loons are silent during the winter. During other times of the year they make a quivering ha-oo-oo at night.

Where does the common loon nest and breed?

Common loons do not breed in the Bay watershed; their breeding grounds are in Canada and the Great Lakes region of the United States. There, they nest on land by the edge of woodland lakes and ponds.

• When they arrive to the Bay in late autumn, common loons are in their winter plumage.
• By the time they return to the Bay in late winter from points southward, most loons will have taken on their breeding plumage.

Immature common loons look similar to adults in their winter plumage, but have a more strongly indented neck pattern and scaly-looking feathers on the back.

Other facts about the common loon:

• The common loon can be confused with the double-crested cormorant. You can distinguish a common loon by its straight, pointed bill, which it holds horizontally.