Common Loon

Uploaded on Aug 2, 2009

This species, like all divers, is a specialist fish-eater, catching its prey underwater, diving as deep as 200 feet (60 m). The bird needs a long distance to gain momentum for take-off, and is ungainly on landing. Its clumsiness on land is due to the legs being positioned at the rear of the body: this is ideal for diving but not well-suited for walking. When the birds land on water, they skim along on their bellies to slow down, rather than on their feet, as these are set too far back. The loon swims gracefully on the surface, dives as well as any flying bird, and flies competently for hundreds of kilometers in migration. It flies with its neck outstretched, usually calling a particular tremolo that can be used to identify a flying loon. This diver is well-known in Canada, appearing on the "loonie" coin and the previous series of $20 bill, and is the provincial bird of Ontario. Also, it is the state bird of Minnesota.

Published on Jan 8, 2014

Common Loon (Gavia immer), Gooseneck Beach, near Gooseneck causeway, Westport, Massachusetts, Wednesday evening, New Year's Day, January 1, 2014, 2:31 PM - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS MVI_149708; 1:19 min.

Music: "Winter Waves-Megatrax" by Megatrax - Megatrax (Other, 0:59)

Uploaded on Aug 13, 2010

Common loons as seen in Alberta in June of 2010. At least 2 nesting pairs were on the lake. Filmed with a Canon XH A1.

Published on May 1, 2012

The Yellow-billed Loon is the largest and most spectacular of the world's five loon species. It breeds around the globe in arctic and sub-arctic tundra lakes and is the northern counterpart to the Common Loon.

Watch this rare video shot by The Lab's Gerrit Vyn of a mated pair calling and foraging just after arriving on the partially frozen Breeding grounds in Chukotka, Russia.

Uploaded on Dec 22, 2009

Minnesota's State Bird the Common Loon. This video starts off with Lake Superior near Baptism River & Tettegouche State Park. Later goes to Long Island Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern MN. The video ends at the Mississippi River in Brainerd MN. Nathan Steffenson http://www.natesservice.info

More info on loons from Minnesota DNR outside link: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/commonloon.html