Loon Species Report

Loon

Gavia immer

Familiar to Canadians as the animal gracing the dollar coin, loons are diving birds that spend most of their lives in water. The word ‘loon’ is a derivation of a Scandinavian word that refers to a lame or clumsy person, and refers to the loon’s awkward gait on land. In Britain, loons are known instead as divers. Loons can dive down to 80 m (over 260 ft) and stay beneath the surface for up to a minute.

Characteristics

At 70 cm to 90 cm (28–35 in.) in length, and 2.5 kg to 7 kg (6–15 lb.) in weight, loons are smaller than geese, but larger than ducks. Males tend to be larger than females, but both sexes otherwise look the same…

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