Arctic/Pacific Loon vs Common Loon

Gavia arctica compared with Gavia immer

Key Differences

• Arctic/Pacific Loon is Least Concern while Common Loon is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arctic/Pacific Loon	Common Loon
Kingdom same	Animalia (hayvan)	Animalia (hayvan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Kordalılar)	Chordata (Kordalılar)
Class same	Aves (kuş)	Aves (kuş)
Order same	Gaviiformes (Gaviiformes)	Gaviiformes (Gaviiformes)
Family same	Gaviidae	Gaviidae
Genus same	Gavia	Gavia
Species	Gavia arctica	Gavia immer

Evolutionary Relationship

Arctic/Pacific Loon and Common Loon share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Gavia.

Conservation Status

Arctic/Pacific Loon

LC — Least Concern

Common Loon

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arctic/Pacific Loon	Common Loon
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

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.

Common Loon

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

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.

Common Loon

<em>Gavia immer</em>, the common loon or great northern diver, is a large aquatic bird in the family Gaviidae, known for its haunting, yodeling calls across northern lakes. It is found in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, breeding on freshwater lakes in boreal and subarctic regions and wintering along marine coastlines. The common loon is adept in aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments, though it is most highly specialized for diving, using its strong feet positioned far back on its body to pursue fish underwater. It typically feeds on fish, supplemented by crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates. Its striking summer plumage features a black-and-white checkered back and a deep black head with a characteristic white necklace pattern. The species has not been evaluated for IUCN conservation status. Common loons require clear, fish-rich lakes for successful breeding and are sensitive to water quality degradation and human disturbance at nesting sites. Their distinctive calls are emblematic of wilderness in North America and Scandinavia.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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