Help identifying Waterfowl species! Unknown species?!

[ajessup]

I photographed this species on a lake in Indianapolis around spring time and have not been able to find it in any guide books! It was making a very high pitched squawking noise and would dive under water and stay down for a while. It was a rather large bird, I was very surprised when I couldn't find it in any guide books. If you have any idea what it is, please let me know what it is! Thanks!

[cashman]

could be wrong, but it looks like a loon to me.

[DSM16428]

could be wrong, but it looks like a loon to me.

Yup...it's a loon. No wait that's me!

Seriously though...it's a loon.

[kandahar]

It is a loonie...symbol for the Canadian dollar coin. They can stay under for quite a distance. When they fly incoming it looks like a brant.

[Jkling12]

Odd place for a loon. Indiananpolis, Indiana right?

[DSM16428]

Easily one of the most beautiful birds that flies and has on of the most beautiful and haunting calls too!

[DSM16428]

Odd place for a loon. Indiananpolis, Indiana right?

Nope. We get em here in NW, PA from time to time. There is a pair that nests in the same big pond every single year for the last five years or so in my home town.

[Jkling12]

Gotcha. Never seen them on any lakes around Northern Indiana.

[DSM16428]

I know Mich. and Minn. get a bunch of them.

[Fox_hunter42]

Northern Wisconsin gets them. Very relaxing sitting around the water in the evening and listening to them.

[HmptnHunter]

Not sure what guide books you were looking at but it is in pretty much every bird book I have ever seen for North America.

[Jkling12]

I know Mich. and Minn. get a bunch of them.

I have seen lots in Michigan. Especially in the UP

[tornadochaser]

Its a loon. Interesting fact about loons is they can only take flight from water. When they migrate, sunlit parking lots can give a mirrage effect and dupe the birds into thinking they are landing on water, and once on the pavement, cannot take off.

We had a loon hatch out 2 young ones about 3 lots down from our lake cabin in west central MN this spring. They are the minnesota "state bird".

[ponass]

True enough, Chaser. Once a loon is land bound they cannot physically walk, due to the positioning of their legs. We have a nesting pair just down from our dock. They had a couple of little ones this spring but between the Eagles and the Muskie, they will be making the flight back south on their own.

[tornadochaser]

True enough, Chaser. Once a loon is land bound they cannot physically walk, due to the positioning of their legs. We have a nesting pair just down from our dock. They had a couple of little ones this spring but between the Eagles and the Muskie, they will be making the flight back south on their own.

I've seen Musky or big Pike whack mallards before on West Battle Lake in central MN, I have yet to see any fowl get gobbled up on the lake our new cabin is on though. It's quite the site when a 50" fish breaks water and scatters a brood of mallards!

[younggun_33]

i've seen them down here in oklahoma

[goosechaser125]

Yea we shot three this year, they don't taste anything like a goose though as they eat fish. But in the smooker they are not too bad.

Of course I am kidding, did have one come in when we were just finishing a water hunt, pulled up on it and said "oh sXXt that would suck" they are a unique bird.

[kandahar]

7 years ago at the public reserve pass shooting a bird came in very low towards the blind and it was a huge swift birds in the early morning, I clicked off the safety then put it back on a passed up on the shot as loones are not on hunting menu.. I saw a loon on the cover of a federal hunting permit once.

[vt.honker]

I live in Vt.(4 miles from the Canadian border)and every year the lake across the street from my house has nesting loons. There are 3 other lakes in my area (5 min. drive)which have nesting pairs every year.During the spring/summer evenings,when we are out on the front deck,we can hear mating and several other calls from the loons.As someone has already mentioned,their calls are hauntingly unique and unforgetable!