Red-Throated Loon (Gavia stellata) lives in arctic tundra across Northern Europe, North America. It feeds on fish and crustaceans. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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At just 53-69 cm long with a 91-120 cm wingspan and a weight of only 1-2.7 kg, the red-throated loon is the smallest and lightest of all loons, yet it can launch itself straight from the ground, a feat no other loon manages. Its compact size lets it nest on tiny freshwater pools that larger loons would ignore.
A typical clutch holds two eggs, each 75 mm × 46 mm and weighing 83 g, of which 8 % is shell; incubation lasts 24-29 days, mainly by the female. Because the first egg begins incubating immediately, chicks hatch asynchronously, giving the older sibling a size advantage when food is limited. This hatching strategy can mean the younger chick starves within its first days if prey are scarce.
The longest-recorded wild red-throated loon lived 23 years and 7 months, found dead on a Swedish beach after being ringed. Such longevity shows the species can survive decades despite threats like oil spills and mercury, but also means individuals may accumulate pollutants over a lifetime.
Global surveys estimate 200,000-600,000 red-throated loons, yet Alaska counts dropped 53 % between 1971 and 1993, and European numbers are also falling. While some Scottish populations rose 16 % from 1994-2006, the overall downward trend signals that oil spills, habitat loss, and mercury contamination are eroding their numbers across the Holarctic range.
Red-throated loons are swift migrants, cruising at 75-78 km h⁻¹ (47-48 mph) during their long-distance flights. After breeding they shed every flight feather at once, becoming flightless for three to four weeks while they molt.
Sources
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As the Red-Throated Loon glides effortlessly across the tranquil surface of its Arctic breeding grounds, its sleek, slate-grey feathers glisten like polished stone, while its haunting, wailing call echoes through the misty dawn air. With a fluid, almost serpentine motion, it dives beneath the waves, its powerful legs propelling it through the dark, mysterious waters in pursuit of the fish and crustaceans that sustain it. In this unforgiving yet majestic landscape, the Red-Throated Loon reigns as a master of stealth and agility, its very existence a testament to the enduring beauty of the wild.
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