Pacific Loon

Gavia pacificaOrder: GAVIIFORMES Family: Loons (Gaviidae)

Codes: Common Name: PALO Scientific Name: GAVPAC ITIS Taxonomic No.: 174475

Breeding Location:

Lakes, Tundra

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common on tundra

Egg Color:

Brown with black brown spots

Number of Eggs:

1 - 3

Incubation Days:

23 - 25

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Stems, roots, and mud.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Pacific Loon: Medium-sized loon with black-and-white checkered back and white underparts. Crown and nape are gray. Iridescent throat patch can appear purple, green, or black. Sexes are similar. Winter adult has dark gray upperparts and a straight, sharp border between pale and dark areas on neck. Juvenile resembles winter adult but has white scaling on back.

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.

Breeding and 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.

Foraging and Feeding

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

Vocalization

Pacific Loon: Generally quiet in winter; summer calls include a sharp "kwao" and a wail that rises in pitch.

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.

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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.

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.

● 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

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Crown

The crown is the top part of the birds head.

Nape

Also called the hindneck or collar, it is the back of the neck where the head joins the body.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Pacific Loon

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Recommended Products:

General

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Vocalization

Similar Species

Pacific Loon

Flight Pattern