Owner Comments:
The next modern dinosaur in the collection is one that is both familiar and one that breaks many of the rules for theropod dinosaurs in general: The Common Loon, species name Gavia immer.
The Common Loon is a rather large loon, with a length range of 27 to 36 inches and a wingspan range of 50 to 58 inches. They can range in weight from 7 to 9 pounds. The bird on the coin depicts the Common Loon in its breeding plumage, which is the same for both genders. When they are not breeding, Common Loons of both sexes are a greyish brown color. The only sexual dimorphism in the Common Loon is with size, and this is one of the areas where Common Loons are an exception to the general rules of theropod dinosaurs in that it is the male which is the larger gender instead of the female. Another distinguishing feature of the Common Loon is its heavy, dagger like beak. This beak is both a powerful hunting and defense tool, used to spear both prey and attackers depending on the situation.
Geographically, Common Loons range across Canada, Alaska and the very northernmost portion of the continental United States as well as Greenland in their breeding season and they overwinter along the coasts of North America, ranging as far south as Mexico along with areas of Northern Europe, such as the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.
Common Loons are divers, and to aid in making dives they break another theropod rule in having many solid bones in their skeletons to aid in staying down during dives. Aside from Common Loons, the only theropod dinosaurs to share this feature are a few other waterbirds, penguins, ostriches, emus and two non-avian aquatic theropod groups: the hesperornithes and the spinosaurids. Most theropod dinosaurs have mostly hollow bones, and indeed, this is a determining trait of the group.
Common Loons are predators who mainly feed on various species of fish, the exact listing of which varies by geographic location. They also feed on crustaceans, insect larvae, mollusks and occasionally small amounts of plant matter and the young of other waterbirds. Common Loons hunt by locating prey by sight and diving after it, using its powerful legs to propel it after the prey. Most small prey is swallowed whole underwater, where and when it is caught. Larger prey is brought to the surface and consumed in pieces. A Common Loon typically dives to depths between 13 to 33 feet when hunting, but they have been recorded making dives as deep as 230 feet. They are also very fast fliers, with a maximum speed of 75 MPH. As a sight-based hunter, clear water is vitally important to the Common Loon and water pollution has been responsible for Common Loons abandoning parts of their range in the continental United States.
As for animals that prey on adult Common Loons, there are only two: the now familiar pair of the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle. Of these two, the Bald Eagle is much more likely to prey on Common Loons due to their shared wetland habitats. Eggs of the Common Loon are preyed upon by gulls, corvids, raccoons, skunks, minks and foxes. Young Common Loons are also preyed upon by Snapping Turtles in addition to the two avian predators that prey upon adults.
Common Loons are monogamous, and they reach sexual maturity at two years of age. After reaching maturity, Common Loons breed annually. Unlike many other theropods, Common Loons have a very simple courtship process, consisting of mutual bill-dipping and dives. Breeding for Common Loons begins in May, with both members of a breeding pair building a 22-inch-wide nest out of marsh grasses and other plant matter. The pair defends a breeding territory that ranges in size from 60 to 200 acres and they patrol it frequently and defend it viciously……that dagger like bill can really ruin a predator’s day when it’s buried in their abdomen or the back of their head.
In late May or early June, Common Loons lay one or two olive brown eggs with dark brown spots and both parents incubate them. Incubation takes around 24 to 25 days, after which the young hatch out. Common Loons are precocial, with the young walking and swimming within hours after birth. The parents will also carry the young on their backs, which affords them protection from Snapping Turtles looking for a quick meal. Young Common Loons typically fledge at between 70 and 77 days of age and they can fly at around the same age. If food is plentiful, both young will typically survive but in scarce times, one chick will often kill its sibling to ensure its own food supply. The young leave the nesting ground and their parents before the next winter after the breeding season when they hatched. Common Loons can live for over 20 years.
Common Loons are also noted for the wide range of distinctive vocalizations that they can produce. These vocalizations can sound like a laugh, a yodel or a shriek. On a personal note, these often-strange sounding vocalizations made by Common Loons are used as an excuse to give the vocalizations of the great demon of the North, the Wendigo, a rational explanation in one of my favorite novels, Stephen King’s Pet Sematary.
The Common Loon is an amazing and fascinating modern dinosaur which has found a prominent place in human culture. It has appeared on coins, in novels and in films and I’m so happy to finally have this beautiful rule-breaker here in my collection of modern dinosaurs…..another kudos must go out to my life partner for finding this excellent coin for this collection as it was a birthday gift from her.