Female Loons (Male vs Female Identification Guide)

Found in lakes in Canada and the northern United States, common loons are skilled divers and not adapted to walking on land, so you may only see a loon from shore, or possibly from the water by boat or canoe.

Males and females look alike, but certain aspects such as size and behavior will help you make a confident and positive identification. Read on for tips on how to tell if the common loon you spot is a male or a female.

Female common loons look identical to males but can be over 25% smaller. They have the same red eyes and spotted, glossy black and white plumage. Nest-building and hatching duties are shared between the pair, which is highly territorial about its nest, eggs, and chicks.

When spotting a lone common loon, without visual cues or revealing behavioral traits, it is nearly impossible to accurately tell whether the individual is a male or a female. When paired together, the chances of a positive ID increase due to size differences between larger, heavier males and smaller, lighter females.

However, some subtle differences in behavior and habits may be observed that will help guide you in properly determining whether the professional underwater hunter you are looking for is a male common loon or a female common loon.

So if you’re interested in finding out more, read our guide to female loons.

It’s almost impossible to tell male and female loons apart, and when a pair is together, size is the best way to go

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The only visual difference between male and female common loons is their size, with males typically being around 25% heavier and larger than females. They are identical in color and feather markings.

Males and females build nests together, and both sexes incubate eggs and feed young, with no significant difference in the share of these tasks performed by males and females.

Female (left) and male (right) Common Loons with their chicks

What does a female dragon look like?

Loons change appearance throughout the year, undergoing a complete molt at the end of the breeding season. When breeding, female loons have white breasts, black heads, and distinctive black and white markings mixed with spots, spots, and stripes on the neck, back, and wings. The glossy black head has an iridescent sheen and appears purplish-blue in certain lights. They have black charcoal bills and bright red eyes.

After breeding, female loons (like males) completely molt, and these striking markings are temporarily replaced by more drab and inconspicuous brown-gray plumage.

Their breasts were still white, but a duller, less vibrant color, and their backs changed from a deep, glossy black to a faded dark gray.

In eclipse plumage, the bills of common loons fade to a light gray, and their eyes fade from harsh red to a more uniform light brown.

Male and female common loons share the same feathers

size difference

Female loons are usually smaller and lighter than male loons, with a size difference of about 25 percent. No sex data on body length or wingspan: adult common loons range in length from 66 to 91 cm (26 to 36 in), with wingspans in the range of 127 cm to 147 cm (4 ft 2 in to 4 ft) 10 in ), women naturally fall at the lower end of this range.

In terms of mass, men also weighed 27 percent more than women. According to data recorded in 2014, women weighed between 2.7 kg and 6.2 kg (6.0 lb and 13.7 lb), while men weighed between 4.1 kg and 7.6 kg (9.0 lb and 16.8 lb).

breeding pair of loons in flight

behavioral difference

Although male and female common loons form long-term pairs and often breed together over several consecutive breeding seasons, they do not remain paired during the winter months, diverging during migration, but do so in the spring. Reunite at the nesting ground.

Females arrive at spring breeding grounds a few days later than males, so if you keep an eye out for loons early in the season, the first birds you see may be males rather than females.

During breeding season, both female and male loons are very territorial and will attack any intruders that approach their eggs or young, and they both chase away mammals, including beavers, otters, minks and raccoons, which may would risk getting too close.

A pair of Common Loons doing a courtship dance, flapping their wings and splashing water around

call

Loons are relatively vocal birds. Only males can make the so-called “yordle” call, which warns when their territory is threatened and makes sounds by sticking their necks and throats across the water.

Known as “trills” and sometimes “crazy laughs,” contact calls are thought to be signs of agitation or distress and are made by both males and females. It is also heard in flight when mingling with other loons, and can serve as a form of communication between pairs to warn of nearby predators.

Before mating or during courtship, there is a soft meowing sound between the two pairs. The louder fourth call, called the “wail,” is also a contact call between a female and a male or between a parent and a young loon.

A pair of common loons in summer in Quebec, Canada

nesting and feeding

Male common loons arrive at breeding grounds before females and use this opportunity to inspect potential nesting sites. The final site selection ultimately falls to the males, but nest building is shared equally among the males.

After spawning, hatching rates are fairly even between females and males. Some studies have shown that females make up a greater proportion of overnight hatches and spend more time incubating than males when hatching approaches.

Post-hatch parental care is also split fairly evenly. Young loons are well developed when they hatch and enter the water within hours. You may see baby birds riding on the backs of their parents. Some observations suggest that it is more common for the riders to be male loons.

Some slight differences in diet between the sexes have been documented, with female loons eating more crayfish and other crustaceans than males. According to a 1973 report, among the common loons examined for this study, the diet of the males was reported to contain more perch, trout, and suckers, while the stomachs of the females contained more crayfish and minnows.

common loon sitting on nest

common problem

Can female Loons raise their cubs alone?

Male and female loons share nest-building, hatching, and chick-rearing duties fairly evenly, with the male loon dominating in site selection and caring for the young as they become more independent play a key role.

Threats to nests are an important concern in breeding loons, and high pup survival rates are directly related to concerted efforts throughout the breeding process.

This means that leaving a female loon alone to incubate and raise her young does not guarantee a successful outcome.

What color are female loonies?

During the breeding season, female common loons are black and white. Their blackheads have a glossy purple-green sheen. After the breeding season, the common loon molts, losing its lustrous markings.

Their backs, heads, and wings turn a dull brownish-gray, with white breasts and underparts. Their bills turn light gray and their eyes change from bright red to a less vivid brown.

Do female Loons call?

Female loons are vocal birds, and their vocalizations include meows, wails and sirens called trills. The fourth call, called “JodlMade only by male common loons.