Red-throated Loon

The red-throated loon is a Holarctic bird that breeds far into the high Arctic and winters mainly along the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts, with populations also using the Great Lakes and Black, Caspian, and Mediterranean seas. It breeds on freshwater pools and lakes in open moorland, sometimes choosing remarkably small ponds, then moves to sheltered coastal water. The smallest loon, it measures 53–69 cm, spans 106–116 cm, and averages approximately 1,816 g. (Animal Diversity Web)

Small and medium fish such as cod, herring, sprat, and sculpins dominate the diet. Crustaceans, mollusks, frogs, fish eggs, and insects are also eaten. Birds locate prey visually and pursue it underwater, generally swallowing captures before surfacing. Long-term monogamous pairs build simple plant-matter nests beside water. One to three eggs are laid, but two are usual. Both partners perform incubation for approximately twenty-seven days, with the female taking the larger share, and both subsequently feed the chicks until fledging. (Animal Diversity Web)