Minnesota State Bird
by Penny Meyers
Title
Minnesota State Bird
Artist
Penny Meyers
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
A lovely afternoon for a swim in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Per the Minnesota DNR website, Minnesota's state bird, the common loon, is more at home in the water than on land. Built like a torpedo, it swims under water in search of prey. Minnesota has more common loons than any other state except Alaska.
Identification
General description: Larger than a mallard but smaller than a goose, this water bird has a thick neck and a long, black bill. Its legs are set far back on its body, so it has an awkward gait on land. The male is slightly larger than the female, but otherwise the two sexes look identical.
Weight: Adult loons weigh 8 to 12 pounds.
Color: The common loon has a black bill and a red eye. In summer it is a spotty black and white with a black/iridescent green head. In fall a "winter coat" that's gray above and white below replaces its summer plumage.
Sounds: The common loon has four calls. The tremolo, which sounds a bit like maniacal laughter, is an aggressive call. The wail is a long, drawn-out sound. The hoot, a shorter call, is used to communicate among parents and young. The yodel is sounded by male loons guarding their territory.
Uploaded
July 10th, 2012
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Comments (4)
Penny Meyers
FEATURED in the group Nature Wildlife Sunsets and Sunrises 07/13/2013. Thanks so much, Ella Char!!
Kathy Baccari
Wow Penny, this is just gorgeous. We have these birds here, but only get to see them in their winter colors. The details are so awesome. Nice catch. F/V :)
Penny Meyers replied:
Thank you so much, Kathy!! I really appreciate your visit and wonderful comments!