Gavia immer
Length: 26-35 Weight: 5-13 lbs
Identification:
Black head and beak with intricate white barring on throat and speckling on back.
Distribution:
In summer, Common Loons breed in Canada and Alaska. They spend winter along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, and on the Great Lakes.
Cool Facts:
Common Loons have their legs positioned extremely far back on their body, making it nearly impossible to walk on land, but allowing them to be powerful and maneuverable swimmers as they dive after fish.
Loons are typically only found on large bodies of water, in part because they need a long runway to take off: it takes anywhere from 30 yards to a quarter mile of flapping and running across the water before a loon can build up enough speed to get airborne.
Loons are much heavier than landbirds of similar size. Unlike most birds that have hollow bones to reduce weight, loons have solid bones that reduce their buoyancy for more effective diving.
Make your own bird cookies!
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