Pacific Loon

The Pacific Loon is a medium-sized, elegantly proportioned loon best known for its clean pale grey crown and nape in breeding plumage, contrasting with a black throat marked by a narrow chin strap and vertical white striping on the neck. It is slightly smaller and more delicately built than the Common Loon, with a straighter, thinner bill typically held level rather than angled up.

Outside the breeding season it becomes largely dark grey above and white below, often showing a sharply demarcated "necklace" line between the dark hindneck and white foreneck that aids identification.

Key field marks

• Breeding: pale silvery-grey crown and nape, black throat with a thin chin strap, vertical white neck stripes
• Non-breeding: dark grey-brown upperparts, white underparts, and a sharp contrast line between dark and white on the neck
• Straight, slender bill held level

Similar species

• Arctic Loon is extremely similar and best separated by range and, in breeding plumage, a whiter flank patch visible at rest.
• Red-throated Loon is smaller with an upturned bill and paler overall in winter.
• Common Loon is larger and bulkier with a heavier bill.

Habitat

Breeds on tundra and taiga lakes; winters almost exclusively on nearshore marine waters, often in large rafts.

Range

Breeds across Arctic and subarctic North America and easternmost Siberia; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico.

Migration

Migrates in large, sometimes spectacular flocks along the Pacific coast between breeding and wintering grounds.

Behavior

Often the most gregarious loon in winter, forming large rafts and migrating flocks numbering in the thousands along the Pacific coast.

Voice

Gives a variety of wails, croaks, and yelping calls, mostly on the breeding grounds; largely silent in winter.

Feeding

Dives to catch small fish and aquatic invertebrates in both fresh and salt water.

Nesting

Builds a simple nest of vegetation close to the water's edge on tundra lakes; typically lays 2 olive-brown eggs.