Red-throated loon: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the red-throated loon lives – recorded in 34 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Gavia stellata
Group	Seabirds, divers & grebes
Status	Least concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	34 countries
Continents	Asia, Europe, North America
Mass	1.73 kg (male organism, adult weight); 1.48 kg (female organism, adult weight)
Class	Bird
Order	Gaviiformes
Family	Gaviidae

Where does the red-throated loon live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the red-throated loon in 34 countries and territories across Asia, Europe and North America.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

How big is a red-throated loon?

Wikidata records the following for the red-throated loon: mass 1.73 kg (male organism, adult weight); 1.48 kg (female organism, adult weight).

Is the red-throated loon endangered?

The red-throated loon’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the red-throated loon?

The red-throated loon (Gavia stellata) is a bird in the order Gaviiformes and the family Gaviidae, genus Gavia. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the red-throated loon

The red-throated loon (North America) or red-throated diver (Britain and Ireland) (Gavia stellata) is a migratory aquatic bird found in the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed member of the loon or diver family, it breeds primarily in Arctic regions, and it winters in northern coastal waters. Ranging from 55 to 67 centimetres (22 to 26 in) in length, the red-throated loon is the smallest and lightest of the world's loons. In winter, it is a nondescript bird, greyish above, fading to white below. During the breeding season, it acquires the distinctive reddish throat patch, which is the basis for its common name. Fish form the bulk of its diet, though amphibians, invertebrates, and plant material are sometimes eaten as well. A monogamous species, red-throated loons form long-term pair bonds. Both members of the pair help to build the nest, incubate the eggs (generally two per clutch), and feed the hatched young.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Red-throated loon (revision 1380702164), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q26691 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).