Common Loon
(Gavia immer)

Summary

© Jukka Jantunen (flickr.com/photos/jukka_jantunen)
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

An iconic presence on lakes across the country, over 94% of the global population is estimated to breed in Canada (Evers et al. 2010). Thus, Canada's responsibility for the species is considered to be very high. Population trends are best represented by the Breeding Bird Survey, which suggests a moderate increase since the early 1970s. Nonetheless, anthropogenic disturbance and contamination of water-bodies remain important threats. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Main designations for the species
Designation	Status	Date
COSEWIC (Canada)	Not at Risk	1997
IUCN (Global)	Least concern	2018
Wild Species (Canada)	Secure	2015
Bird Conservation Region Strategy	Priority Species	2013

Population status

Click here for more details

Geographic area or population	Population change relative to ~1970	Reliability	Status in relation to goal
Canada	Moderate Increase	Medium	At an Acceptable Level

Population estimate

Geographic area or population	Population estimate
Canada	400,000 - 500,000 breeding birds

Distribution maps

North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS): Relative Abundance and Breeding Distribution (1970-2016)

Migration strategy, occurrence

Short-distance migrant

Responsibility for conservation

Geographic area	Responsibility based on % of global population
Canada	Very High

General nesting period in Canada

Nesting period starts between late April and early June and ends between mid-July and early August, depending on the region. Before or after this period, the probability of an active nest is lower.

Conservation and management

Although Common Loon numbers are currently robust, their dependence on freshwater lakes leaves them at risk from numerous anthropogenic impacts. Mercury contamination and acid rain have contributed to reduced breeding success throughout their range, while birds nesting in human-inhabited regions face additional disturbance from shoreline development and recreational activities (Weeber 1999, Evers et al. 2010, Tozer et al. 2013). In some areas, lead fishing tackle has been identified as a leading cause of Common Loon mortality (Grade et al. 2018). Increased mortality has been attributed to outbreaks of type E Botulism in the Great Lakes and to the ingestion of lead from fishing and hunting gear (Scheuhammer 2009). Entanglement in commercial fishing nets and oil spills may threaten birds wintering offshore (Evers et al. 2010). Results from the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey suggest that breeding success rates (average number of young produced per pair per year) were higher in the west than in the east, higher on larger lakes, and increased as acidity decreased; results are likely linked to acid- or temperature-related exposure to mercury and/or acid-induced reductions in food supply (Tozer et al. 2013).

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

BCRs, marine biogeographic units, and sub-regions in which the species is listed as a priority
Region	Sub-region and priority type
Arctic Plains and Mountains	Arctic Plains and Mountains, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NL -- Other
Arctic Plains and Mountains	Arctic Plains and Mountains, sub-region and priority type: Prairie and Northern -- Other
Arctic Plains and Mountains	Arctic Plains and Mountains, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Atlantic Northern Forests	Atlantic Northern Forests, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NB -- Other
Atlantic Northern Forests	Atlantic Northern Forests, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NS -- Other
Atlantic Northern Forests	Atlantic Northern Forests, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, PE -- Other
Atlantic Northern Forests	Atlantic Northern Forests, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Boreal Hardwood Transition	Boreal Hardwood Transition, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Boreal Softwood Shield	Boreal Softwood Shield, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NL -- Other
Boreal Softwood Shield	Boreal Softwood Shield, sub-region and priority type: Ontario -- Other
Boreal Softwood Shield	Boreal Softwood Shield, sub-region and priority type: Prairie and Northern -- Conservation
Boreal Softwood Shield	Boreal Softwood Shield, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Boreal Taiga Plains	Boreal Taiga Plains, sub-region and priority type: Prairie and Northern -- Conservation
Gulf of St. Lawrence	Gulf of St. Lawrence, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NB -- Other
Gulf of St. Lawrence	Gulf of St. Lawrence, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NS -- Other
Gulf of St. Lawrence	Gulf of St. Lawrence, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, PE -- Other
Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain	Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain, sub-region and priority type: Ontario -- Conservation
Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain	Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other
Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves	Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves , sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NL -- Other
Northern Pacific Rainforest	Northern Pacific Rainforest, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Stewardship
Northern Rockies	Northern Rockies, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Stewardship
Northwestern Interior Forest	Northwestern Interior Forest, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Other
Prairie Potholes	Prairie Potholes, sub-region and priority type: Prairie and Northern -- Other
Scotian Shelf	Scotian Shelf, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NB -- Other
Scotian Shelf	Scotian Shelf, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NS -- Other
Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains	Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains, sub-region and priority type: Atlantic, NL -- Other
Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains	Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains, sub-region and priority type: Prairie and Northern -- Conservation
Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains	Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains, sub-region and priority type: Quebec -- Other

References

Evers, D.C., J.D. Paruk, J.W. Mcintyre and J.F. Barr. 2010. Common Loon (Gavia immer), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Evers, D.C., J.D. Paruk, J.W. Mcintyre and J.F. Barr. 2010. Common Loon (Gavia immer), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)
Grade, T.J., M.A. Pokras, E.M. Laflamme, and H.S. Vogel. 2018. Population‐level effects of lead fishing tackle on common loons. Journal of Wildlife Management 82:155-164. Grade, T.J., M.A. Pokras, E.M. Laflamme, and H.S. Vogel. 2018. Population‐level effects of lead fishing tackle on common loons. Journal of Wildlife Management 82:155-164. (Link)
Scheuhammer, A.M. 2009. Historical perspective on the hazards of environmental lead from ammunition and fishing weights in Canada. pp. 61-67 In: Ingestion of Lead from Spent Ammunition: Implications for Wildlife and Humans. Watson, R.T., M. Fuller, M. Pokras, and W.G. Hunt (eds.). The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho, USA. Scheuhammer, A.M. 2009. Historical perspective on the hazards of environmental lead from ammunition and fishing weights in Canada. pp. 61-67 In: Ingestion of Lead from Spent Ammunition: Implications for Wildlife and Humans. Watson, R.T., M. Fuller, M. Pokras, and W.G. Hunt (eds.). The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho, USA. (Link)
Tozer, D.C., C.M. Falconer, and D.S. Badzinski. 2013. The Canadian Lakes Loon Survey 1981-2012: 32 years of monitoring Common Loons as indicators of ecosystem health. Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, ON. 16 pp. Tozer, D.C., C.M. Falconer, and D.S. Badzinski. 2013. The Canadian Lakes Loon Survey 1981-2012: 32 years of monitoring Common Loons as indicators of ecosystem health. Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, ON. 16 pp. (Link)
Weeber, R.C. 1999. Temporal patterns in breeding success of Common Loons in Ontario, 1981-1997. Unpublished report by Bird Studies Canada to Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region. Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario. 49 pp. Weeber, R.C. 1999. Temporal patterns in breeding success of Common Loons in Ontario, 1981-1997. Unpublished report by Bird Studies Canada to Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region. Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario. 49 pp. (Link)

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