Black-throated Loon

About the Black-throated Loon

The black-throated loon, also known as the Arctic loon and the black-throated diver, is a migratory aquatic bird found in the Northern Hemisphere, primarily breeding in freshwater lakes in northern Europe and Asia. It winters along sheltered, ice-free coasts of the north-east Atlantic Ocean and the eastern and western Pacific Ocean. This loon was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 and has two subspecies. It was previously considered to be the same species as the Pacific loon, of which it is traditionally considered to be a sister species, although this is debated. In a study that used mitochondrial and nuclear intron DNA, the black-throated loon was found to be sister to a clade…

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Black-throated Loon sounds like

Where the Black-throated Loon lives

Recorded as a rare visitor in Canada, Taiwan, Morocco, Luxembourg.

When to see the Black-throated Loon

Peak activity in May · a variable species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Pacific LoonGavia pacificaBreeding adults are like a smaller sleeker version of common loon. Yellow-billed LoonGavia adamsiiWith a length of 76 to 97 cm (30 to 38 in), a wingspan of 135 to 160 cm (53 to 63 in), and a weight ranging from 4 to 6.4 kg (8.8 to 14.1 lb), the yellow-billed loon is the largest member of the loon (diver) family. Red-throated LoonGavia stellataLike the other members of its genus, the red-throated loon is well adapted to its aquatic environment: its dense bones help it to submerge, its legs—in their set-back position—provide excellent propulsion, and its body is long and streamlined.

Side by side: Black-throated Loon vs Common Loon · Black-throated Loon vs Red-throated Loon · Black-throated Loon vs Pacific Loon