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Pacific Loon

Gavia pacificaOrder: GAVIIFORMESFamily: Loons (Gaviidae)
Pacific Loon Portrait
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Range Map for Pacific Loon

Overview

Pacific Loon: Medium loon with black-and-white checkered back and white underparts. Crown and nape are gray. Iridescent throat patch can appear purple, green, or black. Eye is red. Bill is black and slender. Feeds mostly on fish, some crustaceans and mollusks. Flight is direct with rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Pacific Loon: Breeds from Alaska east to Hudson Bay, and south to northern British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. Winters along Pacific coast; very rare in northeastern U.S.

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Listen:

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Voice Text

"kwao"

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Recommended Products:

Peterson Field Guide Western Birds
Roger Tory Peterson, one of the world's preeminent naturalists, developed and published a unique bird identification system. For more than 50 years, Peterson field guides remain unsurpassed as a tool for bird identification. This much anticipated, completely revised fifth edition features updated range maps throughout the pages as well as larger maps in the back. This expanded format allows for multiple illustrations per page, making identification easier than ever! Includes over 153 color plates and images. Flexibound, 432 pages.
Peterson Field Guide Birds of Eastern and Central North America
This is the Eastern and Central North America version of the famous Tory Peterson guide. It has updated range maps throughout the pages as well as larger maps in the back. This expanded format allows for multiple illustrations per page, making identification easier than ever! Includes over 153 color plates and images. Flexibound, 432 pages.

Related Birds:

Western Grebe
Common Loon
Clark's Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Arctic Loon
Yellow-billed Loon
Red-throated Loon
.
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Family Loon (Gaviidae)_blue
Species Gavia pacifica
Length24 - 28 Inches
Wingspan45.5 Inches

Pacific Loon

Pacific Loon: Medium loon with black-and-white checkered back and white underparts. Crown and nape are gray. Iridescent throat patch can appear purple, green, or black. Eye is red. Bill is black and slender. Feeds mostly on fish, some crustaceans and mollusks. Flight is direct with rapid wing beats.

● Song: "kwao"

● Foraging & Feeding: Pacific Loon: Feeds by diving underwater and pursuing prey such as fish, crustaceans, and frogs.

● Breeding & nesting: Pacific Loon: One to three brown eggs with black brown spots are laid on a platform of stems, roots, and mud built near the edge of water. Incubation ranges from 23 to 25 days and is carried out by both parents. Young start to fly at 60 to 65 days.

● Similar species: Pacific Loon: Arctic Loon is larger and has more white on flanks coming up over sides of rump, darker nape, and bolder black-and-white neck stripes.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Pacific Loon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Pacific Loon: Breeds from Alaska east to Hudson Bay, and south to northern British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. Winters along Pacific coast; very rare in northeastern U.S.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationCommon to fairly common on tundra
MigrationMigratory
Weight59.2 Ounces