The others are the red-throated loon, black-throated loon, Pacific loon, and yellow-billed loon. Common loons swim underwater to catch their prey and can remain there for as long as three minutes. Dunne, P. (2006). Common Loon: Large loon with white-spotted, black upperparts and white underparts. North America is home to five species of loons: the Red-throated Loon, the Pacific Loon, the Arctic Loon, the Yellow-billed Loon, and the Common Loon. A long-bodied, low-slung diver. After sundown, many North Woods lakes reverberate with the echoes of loon wails and yodels and tremolos (which writer John McPhee called “the laugh of the deeply insane”). Within the Common Loon's specialized breeding habitat, it further requires a sheltered shoreline nest site with an unobstructed view, preferably on an island or floating bog and close to a sheltered, food-rich area of open water that serves as a "nursery pool" for the chicks. Evers, D. C., J. D. Paruk, J. W. McIntyre, and J. F. Barr (2010). : "http://www. The male selects the nest site. birds! Pete Dunne's essential field guide companion. Regional declines have occurred at the southern edge of their range. In such places they are solitary while feeding, but may gather in loose flocks at night. Common Loons are powerful, agile divers that catch small fish in fast underwater chases. //