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Arctic Loon

Gavia arcticaOrder: GAVIIFORMESFamily: Loons (Gaviidae)

Arctic Loon Portrait
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General

Arctic Loon: Medium-sized loon with straight, stout bill, white-spotted black back and white flanks visible above water while swimming. Head and nape are gray. Neck has bold black and white stripes on sides and green or purple throat bar that may be difficult to see. Sexes are similar. Winter adult and juvenile have dark gray upperparts and dark cap extending to eyes.

Range and Habitat

Arctic Loon: Breeds in northwestern Alaska; occurs in coastal western Alaska, especially at St. Lawrence Island, during migration. Preferred habitats include ocean, open water, and tundra lakes (summer).

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kwow, know, know"

Interesting Facts

  • The Arctic Loon is also known as the Black-throated Diver.
  • According to old stories, “the devil himself created the Black-throated Diver. They said that the devil had forgotten to give the bird its feet, and in his anger he threw the legs after the bird.”
  • They sit low in the water and dive with ease. On land they are clumsy, barely able to walk with their legs so far back on their bodies.
  • A group of loons has many collective nouns, including an "asylum", "cry", "loomery", "raft", and "water dance" of loons.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Arctic Loon
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Gavia arctica
Length22 - 28 Inches
Wingspan46.5 Inches

Arctic Loon

Arctic Loon: Medium loon with straight, stout bill, white-spotted black back, white flanks visible above water while swimming. Head and nape are gray. Neck has bold black and white stripes on sides and green or purple throat bar that may be difficult to see. Feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.

● Song: "kwow, know, know"

● Foraging & Feeding: Arctic Loon: Dives deep from the surface to catch small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. When a fish is caught, the loon throws back its head and swallows fish headfirst; may fly long distances to larger bodies of freshwater or to the coast for food.

● Breeding & nesting: Arctic Loon: One to three black-spotted, olive green to brown eggs are laid in a ground nest made of soil and plants. Incubation ranges from 28 to 30 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Arctic Loon: Pacific Loon is smaller and has less white on flanks and rump.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Arctic Loon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Arctic Loon: Breeds in northwestern Alaska; occurs in coastal western Alaska, especially at St. Lawrence Island, during migration. Preferred habitats include ocean, open water, and tundra lakes (summer).
BreedingSolitary nester
PopulationUncommon to locally common
MigrationMigratory
Weight118.4 Ounces