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 ...

A migratory diver of the loon family, the common loon (Gavia immer) has been important to people living in the Great Lakes region for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. A migratory diver of the ...

This column has a soundtrack, and you might know the one. Imagine yourself in the North Woods on a summer night, next to a clear, quiet lake. Now listen for the haunting calls of a common loon ...

The national honor bestowed upon the official state bird of Minnesota earlier this month confirms what Minnesotans already know well — just how special the loon is. The common loon is known for its ...

One of two common loons observed riding the waves near Matagorda Beach on Jan. 25. Gulf Coast Bird Observatory is continuing to survey for nonbreeding shorebirds along the Upper Texas Coast this ...

There really is nothing common about the common loon. From its eerily haunting calls, iridescent plumage, brilliant scarlet-red eyes, legs set awkwardly far back and large webbed feet, to its pure ...

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.

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Matthew Medler of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology about the best bird sounds of 2025 from their vast collection of recordings, and why their selections made the list.

On a cool, foggy, damp spring morning, a loon yodeled. The sound floated through the mist, causing me to pause in disbelief. Then it yodeled again. And one more time. The loon was calling from a small ...