Red-throated Loon Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesRed-throated Loon
Breeding adult
Small loon with a long and slender bill often held slightly raised. Breeding adults have a red throat patch and a plain gray head.
© Tyler Ficker / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 17, 2018Nonbreeding adult
Small loon with a thin bill typically held above horizontal. Nonbreeding birds have more white on the neck and face than other loons.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 08, 2018Adults and juvenile
Note distinctive posture, sitting low in the water with the fairly slender bill raised slightly above horizontal.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 28, 2007Not all videos have sound
Immature
Small loon with a thin bill typically held raised. Often sits lower in the water than other loons. Immature birds are pale gray with varying amounts of white on the face and neck.
© Joshua Covill / Macaulay LibraryWashington, December 04, 2016Nonbreeding adult
In flight appears hunchbacked.
© Eric Ellingson / Macaulay LibraryWashington, March 20, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Holds bill up and often sits lower in the water than other loons. Nonbreeding birds have extensive white on the neck and face.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, December 30, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Often sits lower in the water than other loons and holds bill upward.
© Jonathan Eckerson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, January 21, 2017Breeding adult
Breeds in wetlands and bogs on arctic tundra.
© Kai Frueh / Macaulay LibrarySuðurland, June 05, 2017Similar SpeciesPacific Loon
Breeding adult
Breeding Pacific Loons have a black neck and a barred back whereas breeding Red-throated Loons have a red neck and unbarred, dark back.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 26, 2013Similar SpeciesPacific Loon
Nonbreeding/immature
Nonbreeding/immature Pacific Loons have a mostly dark face without white behind the eye like Red-throated Loons. Pacific usually holds its bill horizontally and has a barred back, whereas Red-throated tilts its bill upward and has a spotted back.
© Nigel Voaden / Macaulay LibraryEngland, January 22, 2017Similar SpeciesCommon Loon
Breeding adult
Common Loons have a thicker bill that is usually held horizontally while Red-throated Loons often hold their thin bills up. Breeding birds have a darker face and neck than Red-throated Loons.
© Cliff Peterson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 27, 2014Similar SpeciesCommon Loon
Nonbreeding/immature
Nonbreeding Common Loons have a darker face, neck, and sides than nonbreeding Red-throated Loons, which have whiter faces and show more white on the flanks. Note thicker bill.
© William Keim / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, February 20, 2017Similar SpeciesArctic Loon
Breeding
Arctic Loons are rare in North America outside of Alaska. Note white patch on the rump which Red-throated Loons lack in all plumages.
© Andrew Steele / Macaulay LibraryEngland, May 17, 2015Similar SpeciesArctic Loon
Nonbreeding adult
Arctic Loons are rare in North America outside of Alaska. Nonbreeding birds show more extensive white on the flanks than nonbreeding Red-throated Loons.
© Roger Zachary / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 14, 2012Similar SpeciesDouble-crested Cormorant
Nonbreeding adult
Double-crested Cormorants have thicker, hooked bills and do not have white on the chest or throat like nonbreeding Red-throated Loons.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, July 16, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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