Which Loon? Sitka Alaska (2 Viewers)

[sirto]

Is this a Pacific loon or a common loon? Immature or non breeding adult? What features influence your choice?

Taken June 23.

 

[Bewick]

Bill is quite large, seemingly too large for a pacific- common loon for me.

 

[nartreb]

Common loon, by neck pattern. (Bewick is right about the bill, but neck pattern is easier to see.) Pacific (nonbreeding or juvenile) has a white on the front of the throat, dark on the back of the neck, with a straight vertical border between the two color zones. The (usually incomplete) white collar at mid-throat, seen here, is only seen on Common.

I don't know how to reliably tell nonbreeding adult from immature, but from a small sample of labelled photos, a more-complete white collar (like the one on your photo) might indicate an immature bird?

 

[abirdingguy]

Looks like common loon to me too. I think the extensive paleness on the bill also points toward a young bird too, but I can't definitively say that it is an immature bird.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Another for Common, based on bill size and neck pattern

 

[Harrybongo]

Is this a Pacific loon or a common loon? Immature or non breeding adult? What features influence your choice?

Taken June 23.

View attachment 1535581

Hi. Bill does look quite large, but after looking at quite a few pics online, and my guide books etc, looks OK for a juvenile com Loon, to me.