||It has been suggested that Gaviiformes be merged into this
article. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2012.| |Divers / Loons
Temporal range: ?Late Eocene – Recent (see text) |The Pacific
Loon (Gavia pacifica) is the sister species of the Black-
throated Diver (G. arctica)| The loons (North America) or divers
(UK/Ireland) are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of
North America and northern Eurasia (Europe, Asia and debatably
Africa). All living species of loons are members of the genus
Gavia, family Gaviidae and order Gaviiformes. The loon, the size
of a large duck or small goose, resembles these birds in shape
when swimming. Like ducks and geese but unlike coots (which are
Rallidae) and grebes (Podicipedidae), the loon's toes are
connected by webbing. The bird may be confused with cormorants
(Phalacrocoracidae), not too distant relatives of divers and
like them are heavy set birds whose bellies – unlike those of
ducks and geese – are submerged when swimming. Flying loons
resemble a plump goose with a se