Birds · Gaviiformes · Gaviidae

Common Loon

Gavia immer

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It appears on the Canadian one-dollar coin, popularly nicknamed the 'loonie' in its honour. Its legs are set far back on the body, an adaptation that makes it a powerful diver but clumsy on land.

Weight

2.2 kg – 7.6 kg

Size

66 cm – 91 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Piscivore

Feeds mainly on fish.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanFreshwaterPiscivore Diurnal Solitary Bird Ocean Freshwater

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Fun facts

It gives its name to the Canadian one-dollar coin, nicknamed the 'loonie'.
Its legs, set far back on the body, make it clumsy walking on land.
It can dive to 60 metres to fish.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Freshwater lakes of northern North America while breeding; Atlantic and Pacific sea coasts in winter
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Able to swim at once on hatching, and often carried on a parent's back for warmth and shelter
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years (though effective breeding is usually delayed to at least 6)
Gestation / incubation: 26-31 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 3 eggs per clutch (most commonly 2)

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; Birds of the World; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife; Animal Diversity Web; Animalia.bio; PMC