The black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) belongs to the family Gaviidae. The black-throated loon is a migratory aquatic bird found in northern Europe, northern Asia, eastern Russia, North America and Alaska. There are two recognized subspecies of these loons.
The subspecies G. a. arctica occurs in northern Europe and northern Asia, wintering in Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. The subspecies G. a. viridigularis is found in eastern Russia and Alaska. These birds move southwards in winter are a rare visitors to Indian waters.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized and evaluated these loon species and has listed them as of "least concern".
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| Indian bird - Black-throated loon - Gavia arctica |
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| Werner Witte | License: CC BY-NC 2.0 as on 7/18/18 |
They feed on fish, crustaceans and mollusks. These loons are monogamous and the female incubates the eggs. Both the parents take part in feeding the chick.
| Biological classification of Gavia arctica | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Gaviiformes |
| Family: | Gaviidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Gavia |
| Species: | G. arctica |
| Binomial name: | Gavia arctica |
| Distribution: | Europe and Asia; |
| Feeding habits: | crustaceans, fish and squid,; |
| IUCN status listing: | Least Concern |
Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plongeon_arctique_nid.jpg
Author: Carley, Curtis | License: public domain
Current topic in Birds of India: Black-throated loon - Gavia arctica.