#gavia immer

[pallanophblargh]

Almost didn’t manage to draw up anything for pride month, oops! Maybe I should do a pride moth as well (thanks autocorrect)

Didn’t turn out the way I intended, but it doesn’t matter because loons are always a win.

99% watercolor with some colored pencil details that you can’t really see. Gotta get the rust out somehow.

[shittybirdart]

Day 7: Common Loon

[haveyouseenthisanimal-irl]

[ridiculousbirdfaces]

Loon Head by Paul Ostrum Common Loon (Gavia immer)

[nightmaresyrup]

Loon bird. Their calls are so spooky but they're really cool.

Trying a screen recorder instead of the built in time-lapse recorder. I'm having a blast with a free video editor.

[snototter]

A common loon (Gavia immer) builds a nest in Mankato, Minnesota, USA

by Mark Morrison

[birdblues]

Common Loon

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's "fish" of the day is the common loon!

The common loon, also known as the great northern diver, and great northern loon, scientific name Gavia immer, plays an important role in the marine and aquatic ecosystem. During the summer, the natural range of this bird stretches from Northern Canada, Iceland, and Northern United States. The winter range however is much more widespread, Icelandic birds wintering along the Western coast of Europe and the United Kingdom, where North American birds winter anywhere from Southern Canada to the gulf of Mexico. In the summer, these loons live along freshwater lakes and ponds, breeding in the warmer months. In the winter however, these animals flock to coast lines, bays, inland lakes, and rivers, where they will remain with their chicks until thaw. They can be identified by their distinctive calls, such as, the tremolo, the yodel, the hoot, and wailing. Each of which hold a different meaning and are used to communicate to other looks within an area, or migrating party.

Similar to many other water birds, the common loon is equipped with many adaptations for better fishing. They can dive into water as deep as 60m of depth, searching for fish, as that is what makes up around 80% of their diet. They have large and webbed feet along with powerful legs, which makes them clumsy on land but proficient swimmers. Due to this, the common loon tends to land on the water when it stops flying, and opting to spend as little time on the ground as possible. They prey primarily on fish, with a mouth that can eat fish as large as 10 inches in length, which they swallow whole. When fish are not abundant, they also will eat frogs, crustaceans, small plant matter, and insects. When in a small area, common loons are known for chasing out other water birds in an area before settling in for a season, and are intensely territorial. These birds have few predators, but the list is composed of: bald eagles, which attack adults on occasion, but primarily target chicks and juveniles, sharks, and larger mammals when adults are nesting. Eggs are often taken when the parents aren't looking, and chicks are often eaten by large predatory birds, and large fish.

Common loons are monogamous, and will breed together over multiple breeding seasons, defending over a small or large lake is entirely their territory, which they will chase possible predators and other water birds out of. Only one or two eggs are laid in a season, and the eggs can be anything between pale-brown in coloration with darker spots. incubation of the eggs is 16-70 days in length, and nests are hidden along the lake edge in long grasses, in a quiet area. If a partner dies during a breeding season, the living parent will find another common loon of either sex who is unmated and raise chicks with them. Then after hatching, the chicks will swim nearby or ride along their parents backs, and will begin flying at 11-12 weeks after hatching. After migrating, juveniles and adults no longer interact, and the breeding adults will return to the same territory they claimed the year before. During the breeding summer, non-breeding loons will exist in groups along unoccupied lakes or other water sources. Maternity occurs at around 6 years of age, and this is when loons begin breeding, with an estimated lifespan of around 30 years in total.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

[haveyouseenthisbirdpoll]

photo source 1

photo source 2

[auntie-birdie]

Common Loon (Gavia immer)

© Christian Hagenlocher

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

Okay, what’s your pick for the state bird of New Hampshire and why is it the loon?

So. Up until recently, I lived in New Hampshire, where I initially moved to get my Masters' in Biology, focusing on ecology of a songbird species found somewhat uncommonly in the state. That's a whole other thing, BUT! Every morning, during my field seasons, I would always, ALWAYS, without fail, hear Common Loon (Gavia immer) crying out over the lake nearby. If you've ever lived near loons, you know how wonderful it is to hear that sound, at any time of day.

I also lived and worked near the Lakes Region of the state, towards the center and near the White Mountains. There, the loon was basically a local symbol. It also helps that Squam Lake's loon population was under rigorous and constant monitoring by field biologists, and the area had the Loon Center, which was run by the Loon Preservation Committee, which is a MAJOR fund for conservation and appreciation of an extremely enigmatic and charismatic bird. New Hampshire, at least the Lakes Region, basically already thinks of the Common Loon as it's state bird. And honestly...yeah, I get it.

I love the Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus), I really do, and a lot of New Hampshirites feel the same! My fiancee considers it a nostalgic bird, and it's fairly easy to find if you go looking for it. Plus, it matches the state endangered flower, the ladyslipper. But can it compete with the loon? I don't know. After all, it's not like we have any competition for having the loon as a state bi

AH FUCK, MINNESOTA? SHITSHITSHIT

Well...fuck. Yeah, uh, if ANY state has more of a right to the Common Loon as a state bird, it's almost certainly Minnesota. Not only is it LITERALLY the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but MOST of those lakes have loons in or near them. Minnesota is a stronghold of loon populations in the country, making it a pretty goddamn good contender for having the loon as a state bird. And actually...come to think of it, Maine is also a decent contender for the loon as a state bird. So...we have a problem.

But then again...what's a better choice for New Hampshire? I will say, New Hampshire is number 9 on my list, so I'll get to it fairly soon in the State Birds Initiative. But for now...I'm actually gonna have to think about it, @montaguethelorekeeper. Because as it stands at the moment, as much as I would like to fully agree with you on the loon...yeah, the Vikings are gonna kick my ass for that one. Unless, of course...I can find a better state bird for Minnesota. And honestly, there might be a few...

[pallanophblargh]

Apologies, I’m justifiably livid and will be for… who knows how long.

Before I can find a way to put that to good use, here’s an equally angry sketch.

Rage against the dying of the light.

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Common Loon

Photo: Scott Heron

"A long-bodied, low-slung diver. Many people consider the loon a symbol of wilderness; its rich yodeling and moaning calls, heard by day or night, are characteristic sounds of early summer in the north woods. In winter, silent and more subtly marked, Common Loons inhabit coastal waters and large southern lakes. In such places they are solitary while feeding, but may gather in loose flocks at night."

- Audubon Field Guide

[ribzinc]

Common loon, yellow-headed blackbird, mourning dove, mountain bluebird, turkey vulture, spotted towhee, western painted turtle

[mosscrab]

i put so much thought into this one characters name to make it a (slightly incorrect) play on the scientific name for the common loon and with the other one i just wrote something down and went yeah sounds fine.

[herpsandbirds]

I don't know if this is a stupid question, but are loons actually incapable of moving on land? I find the concept of it very strange since they'd at least need to be able to create a nest to lay their eggs

Loons (Divers)

Oh no its not a stupid question. I have heard this, as well.

Loons are capable of moving around on the land. They do not move around well on the land, though. Their movement is less like walking and more like scooting and lurching. They are able to push themselves into a short run. They are not terribly capable on the land, because their legs are so far back on the body.

They do mate on land and nest on the land (very close to the water's edge). They gather much of the nesting material from the land near the water.

Common Loon or Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer), family Gaviidae, order Gaviiformes, northern U.S.

photograph by Richard D. Pick

Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica), family Gaviidae, order Gaviiformes, Utqiaġvik, North Slope, Alaska

photograph by Tyler Ficker

Red-throated Loon or Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata), family Gaviidae, order Gaviiformes, Iceland

photograph by David Karnå