Yellow-billed Loon

Gavia adamsii

Also known as:White-billed Diver

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

83-95 cm (33-38") Uncommon. Arctic tundra lakes, winters along nw. Pacific Coast. Large diving bird with a stout dagger-like bill. Told from very similar Common Loon by its ivory or yellow bill which is often held slightly uptilted.

Summer: Black head; yellow bill; barred black-and-white neck ring; checkered black-and-white back.

Winter: dark upperparts; white underparts; pale bill; pale face; dark smudge behind eye.

Song: like Common Loon's wails and yodels.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

2 photos

Credit: Bill Bouton

Credit: Len Blumin

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Through the Lens: Yellow-billed Loon

Credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Yellow-billed Loon

2 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 2

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Checkered black and white · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the NECK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Upcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized · Larger than a goose
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:704-yellow-billed-loon:1:1 Source: 704 Yellow-billed Loon, row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 2

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the NECK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Upcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized · Larger than a goose
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:704-yellow-billed-loon:2:1 Source: 704 Yellow-billed Loon, row 2