A common loon flaps its wings, which are short in comparison to its body size. Loons' small wings require them to get a running start to fly, according to Montana Loon Society President Lynn Kelly.

You are able to gift 5 more articles this month. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Learn more. The Common Loon’s (photo by Jay “Mac” Davis) range once extended through ...

The common loon is an uncommon bird, one of five loon species sharing a long history, and believed to be most closely related to — wait for it — penguins. The other four loons are Pacific, Arctic, red ...

Officials have announced that they are cautiously optimistic after receiving a pleasant surprise. For a while now, the loon ...

The population of a beloved Maine bird, the common loon, dipped for the second straight year, but wildlife surveyors said they are heartened by an increased number of the bird's chicks. Maine has the ...

MINNESOTA, USA — "Imagine now, a clear summer evening in the north woods. Above you, the bands of the Milky Way framed by the dark spindly boughs of spruce and fir. And cutting though the stillness ...

Achieving takeoff requires a clear aquatic runway measuring nearly 1 football field in length. The 12-pound weight and specific foot placement make terrestrial movement almost impossible.

The loon's "wing loading ratio", figured by comparing the weight of the bird to the surface area of the wings, is the largest in the bird family. For example, although approximately the same weight, ...