Common Loon (Great Northern Loon)

The Loon page is a bit of a ringer... while the Great Northern Loon (or Common Loon) can be found
off the California coast, especially in Morro Bay, San Simeon Bay, Monterey Bay and further north,
these were taken in Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire and are in the Sepulveda Wildlife Refuge
section so they would not get lonely if they were placed in a section all by themselves. This
page contains 50 images of Common Loons in non-breeding plumage and molting to
their breeding plumage, taken in early October in Wolfeboro Bay and the Back Bay.

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Loon

Common Loon Display X1753c

A Common Loon in non-breeding plumage displays in the late afternoon in October on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.

The Common Loon (or Great Northern Loon) is a large member of the diver family and in Eurasia is called the
Great Northern Diver. The current name of Great Northern Loon is a compromise between the two names which
was proposed by the International Ornithological Committee. It is one of five loon species and is a close relative
of the Yellow-Billed Loon (White-Billed Diver). Loons are called divers because of their tendency to swim calmly
over the surface of the water and abruptly dive for fish. The name Loon derived from their clumsiness on land.

Common Loon Display X1755c

Common Loon Display X1756c

A Common Loon rears up and flaps its gull-shaped wings in display on Wolfeboro Bay in New Hampshire.

Common Loon Display X1757c

A Common Loon in non-breeding plumage flips water off its bill while displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.
Non-breeding plumage is brownish, with the chin, throat and foreneck white. In breeding plumage the Loon
has a black head, chin and throat. Male and female Loons have identical plumage and a dagger-shaped bill.

Common Loon Display X1758c

Common Loon Display X1759c

Common Loon Display X1753-58 XL

A 1500 x 1184 version of the XL Composite (3205 x 2530)
showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying
on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.

Common Loon Display X1752-59 XXL

A 1600 x 631 version of the XXL Composite (6415 x 2530)
showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying
on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.

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Loon

Common Loon X1767c

A non-breeding Common Loon swimming on Wolfeboro Bay, NH, just prior to a display sequence.
The loon swims with its belly submerged, propelling itself with its large webbed feet. Their legs are
located far back on the body, making them awkward on land, which they avoid except for nesting.

Common Loon Display X1775c

A Common Loon in non-breeding plumage raises its wings to begin its display sequence.
The bill of the non-breeding Loon is blue-gray, and as you will see further below in the images
of the Loons molting from their breeding plumage, their bill is black during the breeding season.

Common Loon Display X1778c

A Common Loon poses with one wing extended at the beginning of a display sequence on Wolfeboro Bay.
The wings of the Loon are short and rounded, but generally gull-shaped, and they are strong and rapid fliers.

Common Loon Display X1779c

A Common Loon raises its body out of the water and extends its wings in display on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.

Common Loon Display X1780c

The body is raised high out of the water and the head comes forward as the wings are fully extended.

Common Loon Display X1781c

A Common Loon paddles its large webbed feet madly to keep its body raised out of the water as it
begins to flap its wings during a display on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.

Common Loon Display X1782c

Common Loon Display X1784c

Common Loon Display X1778-81 XXL

A 1500 x 1032 version of the XXL Composite (4933 x 3394)
showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying
on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.

Common Loon Display X1775-88 SXXL

A 1600 x 550 version of the SXXL Composite (9871 x 3394)
showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying
on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.

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Loon

Common Loon Display X1826

Common Loon Display X1828

A rear view of a Common Loon beginning a late afternoon display on Wolfeboro Bay in New Hampshire.

Common Loon Display X1830

The loon raises its body out of the water, flaps its wings and spins its head rapidly, flicking water off its bill.

Common Loon Display X1831

This loon is further along in its molt from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage than the birds
shown in the next section. Note that the throat has nearly turned white and the gray has intruded over
half of the bill, displacing the black of the breeding bill over the rear half. Also, note the white on the back.
Juveniles and young loons have more white on the back and head than mature loons, as does this individual.

Common Loon Display X1832

Common Loon Display X1834

A Common Loon completes its late afternoon display on Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire in early October.

Common Loon Display X1826-34 SXXL

A 1600 x 729 version of the SXXL Composite (9010 x 4104)
showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying
on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.

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Loon

Common Loon X1853

A Common Loon just beginning to molt from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage.
The bill is still completely black and the white feathers are just beginning to intrude on the throat.

Common Loon X1797

On this loon, in roughly the same state of molt, some areas of the black bill surface look to be chipping off.
The Common Loon is a rather heavy bird (3.5 to 18 pounds, average about 9 lbs), and swims low in the water.

Common Loon X1804

Common Loon X1809

Common Loon X1810 16x9c

A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage, in the late afternoon on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.

Common Loon X1813

White feathers are just beginning to intrude on the cheeks, and a small area on the lower bill
near the tip is beginning to lose its dark surface layer. Note how low in the water the loon swims.

Common Loon X1814

Common Loon X1816

Common Loon X1816c

A detail crop of a Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage.
Several images were taken of this loon and others shown below to render different
presentations of the head of the loon against the highly figured surface of the water.

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Loon

Common Loon X1870

Common Loon X1883

Common Loons further along in the process of molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage.
Note the greater area of the cheeks and throat which are now covered with white feathers, and the
larger area of the bill which has lightened. These were difficult exposures (cheeks are overexposed).

Common Loons X1899

Three Common Loons on Wolfeboro Bay in different stages of molting from their
breeding to non-breeding plumage. The furthest individual is just beginning to molt,
and the two closer individuals are farther along in the process (larger white patches).

Common Loon X1911

The first of a series of images of a molting Common Loon on beautifully figured water in
Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire just before sunset in early October. The throat is nearly
covered with the white feathers of the non-breeding plumage, and the bill is nearly gray.

Common Loon X1912

Several images were taken of this loon to depict different presentations of the bird against
the exquisitely figured gold and green water and to allow slightly different exposures which
ensured that this scene would be captured. A few of the shots were slightly overexposed.

Common Loon X1916

Common Loon X1922

Common Loon X1932 16x9

A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage is captured on highly figured water
on Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire, just before sunset in early October. Note the dark red eye of the loon.

Common Loon X5777

A Common Loon beginning to molt from breeding to non-breeding plumage swims low in
the waters of Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire in this image taken at sunset in early October.

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Loon

Common Loon X1942

The first of a series of 300mm telephoto close portraits of a Common Loon in the process
of molting from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage, in the late afternoon in early
October on nicely figured water in Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire. Notice the red eye.

Common Loon X1945

The long warm rays of the setting sun illuminate the head and neck of this molting Common Loon.
The surface of the bill has nearly turned gray, and the change from black to white feathers on the
cheeks and throat is about three-quarters complete. This exposure is just barely over the edge.
It is very difficult to maintain highlights on the white feathers without losing the detail in the back.

Common Loon X1956

The first of a series of 300mm telephoto close portraits of the same Common Loon molting from
breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage as he leaves the figured waters of Wolfeboro Bay
for the smoother, deeper waters in the channel. Again, several images are offered of this loon.

Common Loon X1958

Common Loons primarily feed on various fish, but they also eat crustaceans, amphibians and other animals.
They also eat some aquatic vegetation and algae. They hunt by diving, sometimes as deep as 200 feet, but
more often 12 to 30 feet. They also ingest small pebbles to aid in digestion of the harder parts of their prey.

Common Loon X1962 16x9

A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage in the late afternoon on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.

Common Loon X1966

The voice of the Loon varies from yodeling calls through a high-pitched whistle, and when disturbed the
loon emits an alarm call that sounds like a sharp, quavering laugh. They also emit a long, eerie wailing
call as a territorial signal, and a low pitched moaning sound as a contact call between adults and their
young. Male loons also emit this low-pitched moan during mating. Their sounds are quite distinctive.