Pacific Loon
Pacific Loon has surged: up 401% on the route-weighted index since 1983.
About the Pacific Loon
The Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) is a North American member of the Loons (Gaviidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the wetland birds.
- Size
- 23.5–35.5 in long (60–90 cm) — a large diving bird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Marshes, ponds, lakeshores and other freshwater wetlands.
- Diet
- Aquatic invertebrates, small fish, frogs and plant matter.
- Range
- Recorded on 59 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the BCR 4.
- Family
- Gaviidae · Wetland birds
Notable Pacific Loon Trends
No notable trend signals for Pacific Loon. See the full index history below.
Pacific Loon Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Pacific Loon is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.01 (95% range 0.00–0.01). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±73.4%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2026 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2027 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2028 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2029 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Where the Pacific Loon Is Detected
BBS routes recording Pacific Loon, sized by most recent count.
Pacific Loon Population Trend by State
| Alaska | +3% | 1983 | 59 |
Pacific Loon Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| BCR 2 | -36% | 1995 | 13 |
| BCR 3 | +60% | 1997 | 4 |
| BCR 4 | -65% | 1985 | 32 |
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -52% | 1983 | 10 |
Pacific Loon Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 401% since 1983.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.