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Arctic Loon
Gavia arctica
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
Migration Flyway
Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species
Last Spotted Near You
About the Arctic Loon
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica), also known as the Arctic loon and the black-throated diver, is a migratory aquatic bird found in the Northern Hemisphere, primarily breeding in freshwater lakes in northern Europe and Asia. It winters along sheltered, ice-free coasts of the north-east Atlantic Ocean and the eastern and western Pacific Ocean. This loon was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 and has two subspecies. It was previously considered to be the same species as the Pacific loon, of which it is traditionally considered to be a sister species, although this is debated.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Gavia arctica
- Family
- Loons
- Order
- Gaviiformes
Similar species
Other members of the loons family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
Know when the Arctic Loon turns up near you
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Optics
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Cameras
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