Poor Walkers, Great Swimmers

Published 5:38 pm Wednesday, August 8, 2018

The Common Loon (Gavia immer) is a great diver and swimmer, with a razor sharp bill to skewer fish. But on land they flop and fall and are often mistaken for being injured. Their webbed feet are positioned towards their rear, making them unbalanced on land. The call of the loon is one of the easiest to recognize and remember (photo taken on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge).