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The Loon
The Loon, as it is called in North America, or Diver, as in
the United Kingdom and Ireland, is the common name of a
group of water birds found all over North America and North
Eurasia. The Loon is a part of the genus Gavia, the family
Gaviidae and order Gaviiformes and all Loons are in this
order.
The Loon is a large water bird. It has a long pointed bill,
a long body that slopes to the rear of the bird and it sits
low in the water.
The Loon is the size of a small goose or large
duck and
somewhat look like them when it is swimming. The feathers
are mostly black and white and some species have a gray head
and neck. They have a white belly and all loons have a
spear-shaped bill.
As a young bird it has a more uniform dark head with a
distinct edge between the light under parts and the dark
upperparts. The back feathers are edged with a light color
that gives the loon a scaled appearance. The bill is paler
in color with a dark upper edge like an adult.
The European name of Diver comes from the bird's way of
catching food. They swim along and then suddenly plunge into
the water. The reason it is called a Loon in North America
is because of the bird's eerie, yodeling cry.
Because of this cry the Common Loon has become a symbol of
the wild North. The call of a male Loon over a territory
dispute can carry over the Great Lakes from Canada to the
Northern United States.
The Common Loon is depicted on the Canadian one-dollar coin
and is a provincial bird. The dollar in Canada is
occasionally called the "loonie" because of this. It is the
official bird of Minnesota and Mercer Wisconsin actively
promotes itself as the Loon capital of the World.
Plush Stuffed Loons that are Lovable
and a real Pleasure to have.
The stuffed plush Loon toy bird is # 2
An awesome plush stuffed Loon
complete with it's own real bird sounds!
You will really make a fellow bird lover's day
with the gift of this Plush Stuffed Loon
that is Charming and Easy to Love.
Your very own plush Loon is at
the Stuffed Ark logo
Stuffed Geese
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