Arctic/Pacific Loon vs Buckelwal

Gavia arctica compared with Megaptera novaeangliae

Key Differences

• Arctic/Pacific Loon is Least Concern while Buckelwal is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arctic/Pacific Loon	Buckelwal
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Aves (นก)	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)
Order	Gaviiformes (Gaviiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Gaviidae	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)
Genus	Gavia	Megaptera (Humpback Whales)
Species	Gavia arctica	Megaptera novaeangliae

Evolutionary Relationship

Arctic/Pacific Loon and Buckelwal share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)

Conservation Status

Arctic/Pacific Loon

LC — Least Concern

Buckelwal

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~80.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arctic/Pacific Loon	Buckelwal
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	15.0 m
Average Weight	—	30.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Arctic/Pacific Loon

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and Sweden.

Buckelwal

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Arctic/Pacific Loon

The Arctic/Pacific Loon (Gavia arctica) is a species in the genus Gavia. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Buckelwal

Among the most acrobatic of the great whales, humpback whales are renowned for their complex, haunting songs sung by males during breeding season — some lasting hours and evolving over time. Reaching 16 meters and 30 tonnes, they undertake the longest migrations of any mammal. Found in all oceans, humpbacks feed on krill and small fish using cooperative bubble-net feeding. Populations have largely recovered from historic whaling.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden