The common loon, or Gavia immer, is a beautiful and striking bird. Known in Eurasia as the "great northern diver," the loon has a broad black head, white underside, and unique checkered black-and-white patterned mantle.
A beautiful sight to see gliding across a lake, the loon prefers lakes and other waterways throughout Canada and the United States. They eat a broad range of prey, from fish and crustaceans to insect larvae and plant life.
Loons are monogamous breeders, and both sexes look similar, unlike other bird pairs that can be easily differentiated by plumage. Loon couples build large nests together out of marsh grasses and other local plants along the shores.
