The common loon is the state bird of Minnesota. It lives on large lakes and wetlands in northern North America in the summer and on lakes, rivers, and coastlines in the winter. The common loon is glossy, dark-green with lots of white patterns on its back. It is white underneath and has a long, sharp bill. It has bright red eyes. In the winter, loons lose their summer plumage and become a drab brown above and white below. Although it looks like a duck, the loon is totally unrelated to ducks. It is much larger than most ducks and its legs are placed in the back of its body, which makes walking on land a very difficult and awkward task.

Loons are named for their eerie calls, which often echo across the northern lakes at night or early in the morning. Sometimes, several loons call at once producing a chorus of yodels. The common loon is sometimes called the great northern diver because it can dive as deep as 200 feet in search of fish.