SongLark
Bird call
Common Loon (Gavia immer) call
A haunting, wavering wail and a crazy, laughing tremolo that carries across the water.
Listen to the Common Loon call
A field recording of the Common Loon (Gavia immer) by Ian Adams, shared on iNaturalist. Listen for the Common Loon in wetland and coastal habitats.
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Sounds similar
Birds that sound similar to the Common Loon
These birds share a course and a habitat with the Common Loon, so you may hear them in the same places.
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White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Clear whistle then a buzzy jumble. San Francisco birds sing a local dialect.
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Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Three sharp introductory notes then a jumbled trill; a nasal chimp call.
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Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
A rolling witchety-witchety-witchety from reeds and damp scrub.
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Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
A gurgling konk-la-ree ending in a buzzy trill, from a cattail perch.
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Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
A mechanical rattling trill, like a sewing machine, deep in the reeds.
Questions
Questions about the Common Loon
What does the Common Loon sound like?
A haunting, wavering wail and a crazy, laughing tremolo that carries across the water. Listen to the recording above.
Which birds sound like the Common Loon?
White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird and Marsh Wren sound similar.
Where can I hear the Common Loon?
SongLark teaches it in two courses: Birds of the Pacific Northwest and Birds of Eastern North America.
How can I learn the Common Loon call?
In SongLark's Birds of the Pacific Northwest course, it comes in Level 6: Sound, Shore & Night. SongLark teaches it by ear with real field recordings.
Courses
Learn this call in
SongLark teaches the Common Loon in two courses: Birds of the Pacific Northwest and Birds of Eastern North America. Each course plays real field recordings and brings every bird back for review just before you would forget it.
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Birds of the Pacific Northwest54 birds · United States
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Birds of Eastern North America65 birds · United States
- In Birds of the Pacific Northwest, the Common Loon comes in Level 6: Sound, Shore & Night. That Level is about puget Sound, rivers and lakes, and the owls after dark.
- In Birds of Eastern North America, the Common Loon comes in Level 5: Lakes, Marsh & Shore. That Level is about cattails, ponds and big lakes.
Learn it with these birds in Level 6 of Birds of the Pacific Northwest
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Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
A surprisingly weak, high, chittering and piping series of notes, not a scream.
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Osprey Pandion haliaetus
A series of loud, clear, whistled cheep-cheep-cheep notes, often around the nest.
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Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
A harsh, croaking frahnk given when flushed.
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Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
A dry mechanical rattle given in flight along the water.
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Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
A hoarse descending keeeer, the sound film uses for every eagle.
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Barred Owl Strix varia
A loud, rhythmic hoot: who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all, often in duets.
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Western Screech-Owl Megascops kennicottii
A series of soft, hollow toots that speed up like a bouncing ball.
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Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
A deep, soft hoo-hoo-hooo hoo hoo carrying a long way after dark.
Get SongLark
Learn Common Loon in SongLark
Install SongLark, sign in, and choose a course that teaches the Common Loon.
- Your first course is free. When you first sign in, you choose one course to keep.
- On iPhone? SongLark is coming soon to the App Store.
- One account, every device. Your progress syncs between devices.