Photo: Ryan Askren USGS, Alaska Science Center / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Yellow-billed Loon
Gavia adamsii
Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) — Grebes, Loons & Flamingos of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) is a member of the Gaviidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 4.9 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Gaviiformes
- Family Gaviidae Loons
- Genus Gavia
- Species adamsii
Where it lives
Arctic northwestern Russia from Novaya Zemlya to Chukotka Pen.; northwestern, northern Alaska and northern Canada to Nunavut (east-central Canada)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.9 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Gaviidae
- Order
- Gaviiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yellow-billed Loon hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Yellow-billed Loon is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) is a member of the Gaviidae family, within the order Gaviiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL Arctic nw Russia from Novaya Zemlya to Chukotka Pen.; nw, n Alaska and n Canada to Nunavut (ec Canada).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.9 kg, with a wing length of about 37.1 cm and a tail of around 6.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow-billed Loon?
The Yellow-billed Loon is a very large bird that weighs around 4.9 kg.
Where does the Yellow-billed Loon live?
The Yellow-billed Loon is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL Arctic nw Russia from Novaya Zemlya to Chukotka Pen.; nw, n Alaska and n Canada to Nunavut (ec Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Yellow-billed Loon belong to?
The Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) belongs to the Gaviidae family, in the order Gaviiformes.
What does the Yellow-billed Loon eat?
The Yellow-billed Loon hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Yellow-billed Loon migrate?
The Yellow-billed Loon is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Yellow-billed Loon endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Yellow-billed Loon make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow-billed Loon — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Yellow-billed Loon's range?
The Yellow-billed Loon has a mapped global range of about 4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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