# Red-throated Loon (*Gavia stellata*) The Red-throated Loon is a smaller loon with a lovely red throat during the breeding season! It is known for its beautiful calls and graceful swimming. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Coastal waters and lakes - **Also known as:** Red-throated Diver ![Red-throated Loon](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424774/objects/4619.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-throated Loon has a slender neck, a grey head, and a distinctive reddish-brown throat patch during breeding season. Its back is dark, contrasting with a white belly, and its bill is often held slightly upturned. It appears streamlined in the water. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Gaviiformes - **Family:** Gaviidae - **Genus:** Gavia ## Interesting facts - Baby Red-throated Loons often ride on their parents' backs to stay warm and safe from predators. - Red-throated Loons build their nests so close to water they can slip straight in if danger approaches! - Their legs are so far back on their body they are great swimmers but clumsy wobblers on land! - Unlike most birds, they can drink saltwater, helping them survive in coastal wintering areas. ## Special abilities - **Submarine Swimmer:** Red-throated Loons can dive deep and stay submerged for minutes because of their dense bones and powerful, rear-placed legs. - **Surface Sprint:** The Red-throated Loon needs to run across the water's surface to gain enough speed to take flight. - **Quick Stab:** Red-throated Loons have a long, flexible neck that helps them quickly stab and catch slippery fish underwater. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 53-69 cm - **Wingspan:** 106-116 cm - **Weight:** 1-2.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 12-20 years - **Speed:** 75 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 24-29 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These expert fish hunters dive deep underwater to catch their slippery prey. - **Primary Foods:** Small fish (e.g., cod, herring, capelin), Crustaceans, Aquatic insects - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Atlantic Cod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-cod) (*Gadus morhua*) — Important food source in winter. - **Eaten by:** Capelin (*Mallotus villosus*) — A key prey species in northern waters. - **Eaten by:** [Glaucous Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/glaucous-gull) (*Larus hyperboreus*) — Preys on loon eggs and chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Opportunistic predator of eggs and chicks. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-throated Loon? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-throated Loon? 53-69 cm ### What is Red-throated Loon's wingspan? 106-116 cm ### How much does Red-throated Loon weigh? 1-2.7 kg ### How long does Red-throated Loon live? 12-20 years ### How fast can Red-throated Loon move? 75 km/h ### What does Red-throated Loon eat? These expert fish hunters dive deep underwater to catch their slippery prey. ### Where is Red-throated Loon usually found? Coastal waters and lakes ## Where to spot - [Coindre Hall Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coindre-hall-park) — New York, US · Park - [Theater District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/theater-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/connecticuts-beardsley-zoo) — Connecticut, US · Zoo - [Aquatic Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aquatic-park-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Greenwood Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenwood-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Historic Site - [Park Street Historic Commercial District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/park-street-historic-commercial-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Red-throated Loon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-throated-loon) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-throated Loon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-throated-loon)