Quantcast

Yellow-billed Loon

Gavia adamsiiOrder: GAVIIFORMESFamily: Loons (Gaviidae)

Yellow-billed Loon Portrait
  Copyright 2002-2007 Whatbird.com
Click here for licensing information Splitbar

General

Yellow-billed Loon: Large loon with white-spotted black upperparts, white underparts, and gray sides with fine white spots. Head is glossy green-black; neck has black-and-white rings. Bill is yellow. Sexes are similar. Winter adult and juvenile have pale bill, gray-brown upperparts, and white underparts.

Range and Habitat

Yellow-billed Loon: Breeds in northern reaches of Canada, but migrates to southern Alaska and British Columbia, where it is commonly seen. Prefers tundra lakes and ponds in summer, winters on inshore coastal waters.

Voice Text

"ha-ha-ha-ha-ha"

Interesting Facts

  • Yellow-billed Loons occasionally drown in nets, either put out for commercial, research, or subsistence purposes.
  • Oil spills are a major threat on their wintering grounds and for migrants.
  • Pairs will maintain the same territory year after year, taking on a new mate only if one does not return from migration.
  • A group of loons has many collective nouns, including an "asylum", "cry", "loomery", "raft", and "water dance" of loons.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Yellow-billed Loon
.
Bird database and its related content, illustrations and media is Copyright © 2002 - 2007  Whatbird.com
All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced without written permission from Mitch Waite Group.
 Privacy Policy.
Percevia® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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 adamsii
Length30 - 36 Inches
Wingspan57 Inches

Yellow-billed Loon

Yellow-billed Loon: Large loon, white-spotted black upperparts, white underparts, gray sides with fine white spots. Head is glossy green-black; neck has black-and-white rings. Yellow bill. Dives for small fish, crustaceans. Direct flight on deep wing beats. Solitary, or in pairs and family groups.

● Song: "ha-ha-ha-ha-ha"

● Foraging & Feeding: Yellow-billed Loon: Feeds on small fish and crustaceans; forages by diving underwater.

● Breeding & nesting: Yellow-billed Loon: One or two dark brown spotted, olive or brown eggs are laid in a grass-lined depression near the water. Incubation ranges from 27 to 30 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Yellow-billed Loon: Common loon has gray bill.

Flight Pattern

Fast direct flight on strong deep wing beats with head, neck, and feet extended beyond body.
Yellow-billed Loon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Yellow-billed Loon: Breeds in northern reaches of Canada, but migrates to southern Alaska and British Columbia, where it is commonly seen. Prefers tundra lakes and ponds in summer, winters on inshore coastal waters.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationUncommon to rare
MigrationMigratory
Weight193.6 Ounces