Yellow-billed Loon

About the Yellow-billed Loon

The yellow-billed loon, also known as the white-billed diver, is the largest member of the loon or diver family. Breeding adults have a black head, white underparts and a chequered black-and-white mantle. Non-breeding plumage is drabber with the chin and foreneck white. Its main distinguishing feature is the long straw-yellow bill, which, because the culmen is straight, appears slightly uptilted.

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

ID tip

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where the Yellow-billed Loon lives

Recorded as a rare visitor in Finland, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Mexico, Latvia, Ukraine.

When to see the Yellow-billed Loon

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

Easily confused with

Pacific LoonGavia pacificaBreeding adults are like a smaller sleeker version of common loon. Black-throated LoonGavia arcticaThe adult black-throated loon is 58 to 73 cm (23 to 29 in) in length with a 100 to 130 cm (39 to 51 in) wingspan and a weight of 1.3 to 3.4 kilograms (2.9 to 7.5 lb). 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.