WhenToBird

Common Loon · Gavia immer

When Do Loons Arrive in Alabama?

Adult Common Loon
Photo: Hungry-Sarracenia Photo, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Common Loons are winter birds in Alabama: the first arrive in early November, they are common by the second week of November, peak in late December (5.3% of checklists), and most are gone by late April. They are the only regular loons in Alabama.

When to look

First arrivalsNov 1-7early November
Common byNov 8-14the second week of November
PeakDec 22-31late December
Most gone byApr 22-30late April

Best: late December. First arrivals early November; most are gone by late April. Peak: on about 5.3% of Alabama checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marcommon
  4. Aprcommon
  5. Mayuncommon
  6. Junrare
  7. Julnot usually seen
  8. Augnot usually seen
  9. Sepnot usually seen
  10. Octrare
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Loons in Alabama, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Common LoonNov 1-7Nov 8-14Dec 22-31Apr 22-305.3%
0%2%4%6%Common LoonJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Common Loon
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Alabama that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Alabama

Best counties for Common Loon

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Lawrence CountyBest mid December · 13 checklists that week, 1,969 in all69%
  2. Marshall CountyBest the second week of December · 107 checklists that week, 5,647 in all47%
  3. Chambers CountyBest late November · 85 checklists that week, 2,519 in all31%
  4. Henry CountyBest early January · 16 checklists that week, 338 in all16%
  5. Mobile CountyBest late December · 621 checklists that week, 34,270 in all16%
  6. Tallapoosa CountyBest late March · 66 checklists that week, 1,385 in all15%

Common questions

When do loons arrive in Alabama?
Common Loons are winter birds in Alabama: the first arrive in early November, they are common by the second week of November, peak in late December (5.3% of checklists), and most are gone by late April. They are the only regular loons in Alabama.
When do loons leave Alabama?
Most Common Loons have left Alabama by late April, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early May.
When is the best time to see loons in Alabama?
The Common Loon is reported most often in late December, on about 5.3% of Alabama checklists.