Loons

The five living loon species of the order of Gaviiformes constitute the genus Gavia. Loons inhabit only in the Northern Hemisphere, where they breed on inland lakes and ponds and in winter along seacoast. The fish-eating divers have webbed toes and bear a superficial resemblance to grebes. Like grebes, the loon's muscular legs are set far back on the body, an adaptation for foot-propelled diving. Loons represent an early offshoot of the lineage that gave rise to the order of shorebirds, gulls, and auks (Charadriiformes).