Common Loon (Gavia immer), watercolor
About the illustration:
Commissioned by: Wisconsin Sea Grant,
University of WisconsinMadison
About common loons:
Common loons are the national bird of Canada. They are also known as the great northern diver. They breed in Canada and the northern U.S. They eat fish and other underwater animals by diving down and catching the prey in their beaks.
According to Wikipedia, "all living species of loons are members of one genus (Gavia) in a family (Gaviidae), and order (Gaviiformes) all of their own.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata (having a spinal chord)
Class: Aves (birds)
Order: Gaviiformes (loons)
Family: Gaviidae (loons)
Genus: Gavia (loons)
Species: G. immer
More information about common loons:
Wikipedia, Loons and Great Northern Divers
Loons in movies:
"A Field Guide to Hollywood Bird Songs" by Robert Winkler
"Birding at the Movies" by Michael Shapiro (was http://www.cvco.org/science/audubon/feb2002article.html)
"...you are not likely to hear a Common Loon in a junkyard in New York City in the middle of the night, in the middle of winter (as I heard while watching a movie called 'Eddie and the Cruisers')..."
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