FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The black-throated loon is one of the most interesting birds to read about. It also goes by the name of Arctic loon or black-throated diver. The term 'Gavia' from the scientific name of this bird ,Gavia arctica, is derived from a Latin term meaning 'sea new'. This term was used by Pliny the Elder who was an ancient naturalist hailing from Rome. The second half of the scientific name, 'arctica', is the Latin term meaning 'Arctic' or 'northern'. They were given this scientific name because black-throated loons are found mostly in the north of the globe. They can also be seen in islands and peninsulas of the Pacific region. They are found in abundance in North America. As they are a very common bird, the status of their population is nowhere close to extinction. An adult black-throated loon increases its numbers by reproduction. Interstate, they may often use the same nest year after year. Adults can be seen catching and feeding small fish and insects to the young ones.
Please keep reading to know more about their behaviors. For more similar content, take a look at common loon and ring-necked duck facts too.
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) is a type of bird.
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) belongs to the class Aves.
Although the exact population of black-throated loons (Gavia arctic) remains unknown, it is known that they have a huge population that is spread across a large portion of the globe. However, their population is gradually declining.
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica), also known as the black-throated diver or the Arctic loon, is a resident of freshwater bodies. The range of the black-throated diver (Gavia arctica) is mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, but this differs depending on the seasons. Their winter range is different from that of their breeding range. During the winter or non-breeding months, the black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) can be seen in North America such as in the state of Canada and the region of Greenland, Baja California, western Alaska, and the Gulf of Alaska. They are also native to the continent of Europe including Scandinavian countries, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Baltic Sea during winter. On the other hand, during the loon breeding season, they can be found in the European country, Sweden. At times the black-throated diver (Gavia arctica) can also be found in the Middle East, southwest parts of Europe, India, and North Africa. However, the black-throated diver (Gavia arctica) is not native to these places.
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) dwells mostly in freshwater lakes. These birds can also be found in huge pools, streams, or rivers. In either case, they prefer calm waters and a peaceful environment. The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) does not like to be disturbed by human life. Hence, it can be seen in places like peninsulas and islands where there is negligible human interference. In the non-breeding season, the black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) makes beaches with inshore water as its home.
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) is known to be a solitary bird and they live on their own.
The average lifespan of a black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) is 12 years.
The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) attains sexual maturity at the age of two to three years. The Arctic loon is a monogamous bird. They only mate with one individual throughout their lives. It is only after the Arctic loon (Gavia arctica) migrates to its breeding range that it begins to breed. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic loon (Gavia arctica) begins its breeding season in spring, whereas in the Southern Hemisphere, the breeding season begins in the month of May. After breeding, the couple builds a nest and the female Arctic loon lays one to three eggs. It takes 27 to 29 days to incubate these olive-brown, spotted eggs.
The Arctic loon or the black-throated diver is considered to be a species with a conservation status of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. It has been given this status because they are a commonly found species with a huge population. Although the population of their species is on a decline, the black-throated diver is not facing extinction as of now due to their huge numbers.
The breeding plumage of the black-throated loon is adorned with black and white striped feathers on the back of the throat and the top of the head. The front plumage of their throat is, however, completely black in color. The bellies of these birds are covered in white plumage, while the rest of their bodies have a dark grayish plumage. Their winter plumage is different from this. They have an elongated throat and beak which helps them dive underwater and catch prey.
The black-throated diver closely resembles the appearance of a duck, hence making them cute to look at. Their slender neck and beady eyes add to their appeal.
The main modes of communication used by black-throated divers are sound, sight, and touch. They give out a varied number of black-throated loon calls. A feeble humming-like sound and moaning sounds are used by both genders of this species. Interestingly, males of this species possess the ability to yodel. Such yodeling sounds, part of the black-throated loon call, are given out in territorial situations as a warning and are generally very loud and can travel as far as 6.2 mi (10 km). Male black-throated divers also display an act of moving in circles and dipping their beaks as an act of warning or when protecting their territory.
The black-throated diver or Arctic loon is 16-32 in (40–81 cm) in length. It is at least the size of a house crow and may grow even bigger.
Little is known about the flight speed of the black-throated diver or Arctic loon. However, records show that these birds take flight from the water after using the water surface as a runway.
A black-throated diver weighs around 2.9-7.5 lb (1.3-3.4 kg).
The male and female names of the species of Arctic loon are cock and hen, respectively.
A baby black-throated diver or Arctic loon is called a chick.
The primary diet of the Arctic loon or the black-throated diver is fish. They also feed on crustaceans such as shrimps and prawns. The Arctic loon also eats mollusks and insects. As the Arctic loon is omnivorous, it eats plant matters too.
Although the Arctic loon is not generally dangerous, it can pose a threat to any life that causes disturbance to their natural habitats. In such a scenario, the Arctic loon can display signs of aggression and may even attack the intruder.
No, the Arctic loon is not a good pet to have. As they feed on fish, their feces have a very repulsive odor. Moreover, in most parts of the world, these birds are illegal to possess.
There are five species of the loon. These are the Arctic loon, the common loon, the red-throated loon, the Pacific loon, and the yellow-billed loon.
No species of the loon has an all-black coloration. The most amount of black color is seen in the black-throated loon which has a mostly black neck. However, the backside of the neck and the head of this bird have black and white lines. Although, this is only the breeding plumage of the bird. This breeding plumage differs from the winter plumage.
The feature that distinguishes loons from ducks, geese, or other similar birds is that they have different breeding plumage and non-breeding plumage. This means that the loon breeding plumage changes color when it comes to the non-breeding or winter season. Moreover, black-throated divers or any other loons are divers. They dive deep into the water to catch their prey unlike other birds. During flight, their bodies look elongated. These birds from the Gaviidae family, genus Gavia, can also be distinguished by their long beaks and necks.
The loon species were once considered to be the oldest birds native to the Northern Hemisphere. However, this fact was later proven wrong. It was shown that the loon species were much more modern. Until 1930, this species was also once considered a relative of grebes and was categorized under the same family. More recently, researchers link the loon species with penguins. The bird was considered to be more of a resident of the Southern Hemisphere as opposed to current records which show that they hail from the Northern Hemisphere.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including blue-winged teal, or limpkin.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our black throated loon coloring pages.
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At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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