A common loon flaps its wings, which are short in comparison to its body size. Loons' small wings require them to get a running start to fly, according to Montana Loon Society President Lynn Kelly.

MinnPost’s journalists are out in the community to report on the things that are happening in Minnesota. Your support right now will help fund their work AND keep our news paywall-free. A migratory ...

The common loon is an uncommon bird, one of five loon species sharing a long history, and believed to be most closely related to — wait for it — penguins. The other four loons are Pacific, Arctic, red ...

Minnesota’s state bird is everywhere: There are loons on license plates and library cards, at lottery counters, and now even on the official state seal. Fireplace mantels across the state sport carved ...

To heft their bodies into the air, loons need a long runway, much like an airplane getting ready for a flight. These loons require as much as 600 feet of open water to eventually get into the air. Did ...

GANSEVOORT — Common loons are the most striking creature of Adirondack Park lore. Its haunting, drawn-out wails are synonymous with the Park’s lakes. Black and white speckling and red dots resembling ...

There really is nothing common about the common loon. From its eerily haunting calls, iridescent plumage, brilliant scarlet-red eyes, legs set awkwardly far back and large webbed feet, to its pure ...