Often affectionately called the Canadian Loon because its iconic silhouette graces Canada’s one-dollar coin (the “loonie”), it is the undisputed symbol of the northern wilderness. It isn’t a duck or a gull; loons belong to an entirely separate, ancient lineage of waterbirds. In the summer, they dress in a striking, geometric wardrobe: a velvet-black head, a sharply striped black-and-white collar, and a back patterned like a checkerboard. But their most mesmerizing physical feature is their piercing, ruby-red eyes, which glow like embers against their dark feathers.
What technically separates loons from ducks and most other waterbirds is their skeletal density. Most birds have hollow bones to help them fly, but a loon’s bones are heavy and solid, acting like a scuba diver’s weight belt. This extra weight allows them to compress their plumage, squeeze out trapped air, and sink quietly beneath the water’s surface without a splash. They are elite underwater submarine-hunters, capable of diving up to 656 meters (200 feet) deep and staying submerged for minutes at a time as they chase down fish with terrifying speed and precision.
However, this incredible underwater specialization comes with a massive evolutionary trade-off: they are nearly helpless on land. A loon’s legs are set incredibly far back on its body—perfect for acting as powerful twin propellers in the water, but disastrous for walking. On land, they cannot stand upright; they can only awkwardly shove themselves forward on their bellies. Because of this, they only leave the water to nest, building their homes right at the water’s edge so they can slide directly back to safety.
Distribution
Albania
Algeria
Austria
Bahamas
Belgium
Bermuda
Bulgaria
Canada
Croatia
Cuba
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Mexico
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Saint Pierre
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Svalbard
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United StatesAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
