Types of Loons – The 5 Loons Types With Photos

The 5 Types of Loons

Before I discuss the five loon species, allow me to quickly go over some characteristics that all loons share. Let’s start with loon appearance – what does a loon look like? Well, know that all loon types have two main plumages that they wear annually – one breeding and one nonbreeding plumage. Additionally, know that all loons share similar diets that are centered around fish. Loons are also known to be loyal to their mates throughout the breeding season. Lastly, it is worth mentioning that all 5 loon species are migratory,  sexually monomorphic, and very clumsy on land.

Alright, now that we’ve discussed those shared loon characteristics, let’s take a look at each of the different kinds of loons!

Arctic Loon

Identification

Arctic Loons measure about 30 inches (77 cm) long. In breeding plumage, they have gray crowns, faces, and napes. Moreover, they are speckled black and white loons from above, while their extensively white flanks are visible in all plumages. They have beautiful white chests with fine black streaking, and they possess black throats with white necklaces.

Nonbreeding Arctic Loons have white throats, cheeks, and chests. Their crowns and necks are a slate gray color, while their backs are primarily dark with minimal white color.

Arctic Loons are rather similar to Pacific Loons in both of their plumages. However, Arctic Loons are slightly larger with proportionately bigger bills. Moreover, Arctic Loons have heads that are blockier in shape compared to the rounded heads of Pacific Loons. The white flanks of Arctic Loons are also distinctive.

Habitat and Range

Arctic Loons breed in freshwater or brackish lakes of many different sizes. They may forage out at sea or move inland to forage during the breeding season. These creatures travel to the oceans during winter, but they are rarely found at sea. Instead, they seem to congregate in sheltered coves that provide some protection from the elements.

Arctic Loons breed throughout much of Eurasia, with their range extending from the northern British Isles to Kamchatka in eastern Russia. Their breeding range extends south into Kazakhstan and northern China.

Meanwhile, Arctic Loons have a small breeding range within the United States. This territory is located around the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska. Here, several hundred pairs are known to breed.

In the winter, these lovely loon species move to the coasts where they can be found in sheltered bays and coves. They may be found in the Pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Baltic Sea. It is not yet known if Arctic Loons breeding in Alaska winter along the coast of Russia or if they winter in the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the mainland United States.

Conservation Status

Arctic Loons presently have a designation of least concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Alas, these loon bird types are threatened by heavy metal pollution in parts of their range. Moreover, the establishment of wind turbines near coastal areas is extremely disruptive to Arctic Loons.

It has been noted that Arctic Loons have much lower breeding success in areas with human disturbance. Estimates of the total population are highly variable, with some suggesting that more than 1 million of these types of loons exist. However, others believe that the population could be closer to 275,000 birds.

Common Loon

Identification

Common Loons are large loons, measuring anywhere from 26 – 36 inches (66 – 91 cm). Males tend to be considerably larger than females. Birds in breeding plumage have black heads and necks. Meanwhile, their backs are black with white speckling and their chests are black with fine white streaking. They have white necklaces on the backs of their necks.

Common Loon nonbreeding plumage features white throats, chins, and chests. Their heads, necks, and backs are brownish-gray. They have heavyset bills, blocky heads, and foreheads with apparent sloping.

Although Common Loons are very distinct, some may confuse cormorants and other birds that look like loons for this species if viewed at a distance. 

Habitat and Range

Common Loons seek lakes that tend to be larger and deeper than other loons. They require the water to be clear enough to allow for successful fishing attempts. Bodies of water with islands and sheltered coves are especially valuable for this species. They rarely breed on river oxbows, and they may even breed on reservoirs.

Of course, the water bodies in which these types of loon breed will be frozen come winter, so where do loons go in winter? Well, Common Loons travel to coastal areas where they seek areas that provide a little bit of protection from the elements of the wide open ocean. Although they are most common along oceans, they may also winter in reservoirs.

The vast majority of Common Loons breed in Canada, but they also breed in the northern lower United States, Alaska, Greenland, and Iceland. Common Loon nonbreeding range includes the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of North America, and the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Europe.

Conservation Status

Despite being the most familiar of the types of loon species, Common Loons don’t have the largest population compared to other loon types. The IUCN lists Common Loons as least concern. Although a global population of more than 600,000 Common Loons exists, these loons of North America are threatened by the development of their breeding habitats.

Moreover, they are often killed during commercial fishing activities when they’re accidentally caught in nets. Additionally, environmental contaminants such as mercury, oil, and lead harm Common Loon populations.

Pacific Loon

Identification

Pacific Loons measure 23 – 29 inches (58 – 74 cm). They resemble Arctic Loons in both breeding and nonbreeding plumage. Breeding birds have gray heads and necks. They’ve got black throats, black backs with white speckling, and black chests with fine white streaking. These loon bird types have a necklace of white streaking that extends across their chin.

Nonbreeding birds are rather plain, as they have gray heads, necks, and backs. Some mottling of the feathers can be noted on the backs. One key feature of nonbreeding birds is a dark necklace visible on the chin. This, in addition to the lack of white flanks, helps to separate it from Arctic Loons. Also, note the smaller bill and more rounded head of a Pacific Loon.

Habitat and Range

Pacific Loons breed in freshwater ponds, marshes, and lakes. They are not deterred by trees surrounding a nesting area, as pairs were found to nest in wooded ponds as well as those with no trees.

Pacific Loons are seemingly more tolerant of open ocean and moving water compared to other loons, as they are often found further offshore compared to other loons. They may winter inland on large lakes or reservoirs, but most winter on the ocean.

Pacific Loon range in the breeding season includes northern Canada, Alaska, and eastern Russia. As their name suggests, they winter along the Pacific coast along both the United States, Russia, and Japan. 

Conservation Status

Pacific Loons are considered to be a species of least concern according to the IUCN. They are threatened by human disturbance, with adults reacting to human visitors and airplanes overhead. Chemical contamination and accidental bycatch are minor factors impacting these birds. The global population of Pacific Loons is considered to be more than 1 million birds, but overall estimates are not available.

Red-throated Loon

Identification

Red-throated Loons measure 22 – 27 inches (53 – 69 cm), making them the smallest of the types of loon species. In breeding plumage, they have their distinctive red throats. They have gray faces and necks, although the back of their necks have white streaking.

Breeding birds have white chests and slate-gray bodies.

Nonbreeding birds have gray caps, necks, and bodies. Moreover, they have white faces, throats, and flanks. They have rather small, slightly upturned bills. A characteristic of Red-throated Loons is that they almost always point their bills upwards.

Habitat and Range

Breeding habitat includes arctic ponds, marshes, and boreal forest ponds. Ponds used for breeding can vary widely in size, and they can make do with small ponds in areas where they overlap with Pacific Loons.

The wintering habitat for Red-throated Loons includes fairly calm stretches of ocean and estuaries.

Red-throated Loons have extensive breeding ranges, with their territory including Eurasia, North America, and Greenland.

Wintering areas for these small loon types include both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America. They are not present in the Gulf of Mexico. In Eurasia, they winter in the Atlantic, the Pacific south to Taiwan, and the Mediterranean, Black, Baltic, and Caspian Seas.

Conservation Status

The population of Red-throated Loons breeding in the Baltic Sea is considered to be critically endangered, but the species as a whole has a designation of least concern by the IUCN. Top threats include habitat degradation and climate change.

Yellow-billed Loon

Identification

Yellow-billed Loons are slightly larger than Common Loons, giving them the honor of being the largest of the different types of loons. In breeding plumage, they have namesake yellowish bills that can easily distinguish them from other loons.

Otherwise, they look similar to Common Loons with their black faces, necks, and backs that are speckled with white. They’ve got white necklaces on the backs of their necks.

Nonbreeding birds are grayish overall with white throats. Note the massive, slightly upturned bill in all plumages and the blocky head.

Habitat and Range

Yellow-billed Loons breed on the arctic tundra in lakes, ponds, or marshes devoid of trees. They do not stray too far from the coasts, but they may breed several hundred kilometers inland.

The breeding range of Yellow-billed Loons is locked up with ice after October, so where do loons go in winter? Well, the winter habitat has not been well characterized, but birds are thought to seek coastal areas that offer some protection from the elements.

The breeding range of Yellow-billed Loons includes tundra areas in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. Meanwhile, the wintering range includes the Pacific coast of Alaska and British Columbia. Additionally, they winter in the Pacific in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, and the Yellow Sea. Birds winter in the Norwegian Sea as well.