Common Loon (Gavia immer)
(c) Rebecca Scott, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Rebecca Scott · CC BY-NC 4.0 (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)
BirdsIn Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Common Loon

Gavia immer (Brünnich, 1764)

Common Loon in all of Ohio
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Family
Gaviidae
Genus
Gavia
Near Cuyahoga County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 1 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (0)
  • Within its mapped range (34)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (48)
  • Recorded, season not shown (5)
  • Season shown (1)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Range: USGS Gap Analysis Project, Species Range Maps CONUS_2001 (2018). Show as a table
Counties as a table
Common Loon by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecordsIn mapped range
Adams CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Allen CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Ashland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Ashtabula CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Athens CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Auglaize CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Belmont CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Brown CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Butler CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Carroll CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Champaign CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Clark CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Clermont CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Clinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Columbiana CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Coshocton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Crawford CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Cuyahoga County89 · Season shownYes: migration
Darke CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Defiance CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Delaware CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Erie CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Fairfield CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Fayette CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Franklin CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Fulton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Gallia CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Geauga CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Greene CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Guernsey CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Hamilton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Hardin CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Henry CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Highland CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Hocking CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Holmes CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Huron CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Jackson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Jefferson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Knox CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Lake CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Lawrence CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Licking CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Logan CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Lorain County21 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Lucas County26 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Madison CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Mahoning CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Marion CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Medina County27 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Meigs CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Mercer CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Miami CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Montgomery CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Morgan CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Morrow CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Muskingum CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Noble CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Ottawa CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Paulding CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Perry CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Pickaway CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Pike CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Portage County22 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Preble CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Putnam CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Richland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Ross CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Sandusky CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Scioto CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Seneca CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Shelby CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Stark CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Summit County56 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Trumbull CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Tuscarawas CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Union CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Van Wert CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Vinton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Warren CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Washington CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Wayne CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Williams CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Wood CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Wyandot CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration

Season

When it is recorded

In Cuyahoga County

Late March to mid-December, middle week Apr 19–25

Show over the bars
Recording in Cuyahoga County · records of all species each week, 92,154 in all

Records per week from 89 records in 9 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.

Recorded on 70 dates. Latest record: May 2025.

Show as a table
Records of Common Loon in Cuyahoga County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Common LoonYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–1000468
Jan 11–1711502
Jan 18–2400393
Jan 25–3100380
Feb 1–700590
Feb 8–1400504
Feb 15–2100455
Feb 22–2800583
Mar 1–700567
Mar 8–1400750
Mar 15–2100819
Mar 22–2852780
Mar 29 – Apr 4731,014
Apr 5–111561,655
Apr 12–181672,306
Apr 19–25761,857
Apr 26 – May 2944,135
May 3–9222,830
May 10–16112,640
May 17–23222,938
May 24–30212,903
May 31 – Jun 6002,621
Jun 7–13002,326
Jun 14–20002,465
Jun 21–27002,426
Jun 28 – Jul 4002,632
Jul 5–11002,765
Jul 12–18002,898
Jul 19–25002,860
Jul 26 – Aug 1002,736
Aug 2–8003,021
Aug 9–15002,627
Aug 16–22002,732
Aug 23–29002,388
Aug 30 – Sep 5003,076
Sep 6–12003,578
Sep 13–19003,735
Sep 20–26003,328
Sep 27 – Oct 3002,834
Oct 4–10002,275
Oct 11–17001,937
Oct 18–24001,181
Oct 25–31001,172
Nov 1–721893
Nov 8–1453854
Nov 15–2111485
Nov 22–2811552
Nov 29 – Dec 544448
Dec 6–1211498
Dec 13–1911458
Dec 20–2644575
Dec 27 – Jan 232709

In Ohio

Early November to late May, middle week Apr 5–11

Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 510 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.

Recorded on 336 dates. Latest record: December 2025.

Show as a table
Records of Common Loon in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Common LoonYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–10216,211
Jan 11–17225,146
Jan 18–24004,645
Jan 25–31004,698
Feb 1–7226,023
Feb 8–14005,888
Feb 15–21005,436
Feb 22–28006,846
Mar 1–7008,321
Mar 8–146310,384
Mar 15–2119812,620
Mar 22–2842913,949
Mar 29 – Apr 465919,661
Apr 5–11771026,860
Apr 12–1864939,925
Apr 19–2537941,623
Apr 26 – May 234856,391
May 3–918952,952
May 10–1611753,785
May 17–2312957,698
May 24–308754,651
May 31 – Jun 64353,099
Jun 7–134253,700
Jun 14–201156,625
Jun 21–274355,361
Jun 28 – Jul 41158,477
Jul 5–111161,336
Jul 12–180064,722
Jul 19–251169,753
Jul 26 – Aug 10059,416
Aug 2–81159,712
Aug 9–150055,994
Aug 16–221154,328
Aug 23–290051,772
Aug 30 – Sep 50057,167
Sep 6–121159,075
Sep 13–190054,543
Sep 20–260045,860
Sep 27 – Oct 30043,180
Oct 4–101137,841
Oct 11–171130,824
Oct 18–241121,156
Oct 25–313319,021
Nov 1–78714,172
Nov 8–1413612,621
Nov 15–211457,965
Nov 22–28958,136
Nov 29 – Dec 51666,083
Dec 6–12536,004
Dec 13–19955,423
Dec 20–26865,661
Dec 27 – Jan 2428,459

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Identification

How to identify it

Often confused with

  • Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata297 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Common Merganser Mergus merganser92 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Double-crested Cormorant Nannopterum auritum80 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Mallard Anas platyrhynchos68 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator25 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Open water64%3%
Developed21%49%
Forest5%31%
Wetland4%5%
Grassland and shrub3%0.9%
Farmland2%11%
Barren1%0.6%

From 193 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Cuyahoga County result

89 records from 1 dataset.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.