WhenToBird

Common Loon · Gavia immer

When Do Loons Arrive in Florida?

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

Common Loons are winter birds in Florida: they arrive in the second week of November, peak in mid January (2.9% of checklists), and most are gone by mid April. They are the only regular loons in Florida.

When to look

First arrivalsNov 8-14the second week of November
Common byNov 8-14the second week of November
PeakJan 15-21mid January
Most gone byApr 15-21mid April

Best: mid January. First arrivals the second week of November; most are gone by mid April. Peak: on about 2.9% of Florida 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 Florida, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Common LoonNov 8-14Nov 8-14Jan 15-21Apr 15-212.9%
0%1%2%3%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 Florida 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 Florida

Best counties for Common Loon

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Okaloosa CountyBest the second week of December · 291 checklists that week, 16,003 in all33%
  2. Santa Rosa CountyBest late November · 356 checklists that week, 15,001 in all29%
  3. Escambia CountyBest early December · 369 checklists that week, 25,457 in all27%
  4. Franklin CountyBest the second week of January · 566 checklists that week, 20,336 in all21%
  5. Walton CountyBest the second week of December · 99 checklists that week, 9,530 in all21%
  6. Gulf CountyBest mid December · 87 checklists that week, 5,038 in all19%

Common questions

When do loons arrive in Florida?
Common Loons are winter birds in Florida: they arrive in the second week of November, peak in mid January (2.9% of checklists), and most are gone by mid April. They are the only regular loons in Florida.
When do loons leave Florida?
Most Common Loons have left Florida by mid April, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see loons in Florida?
The Common Loon is reported most often in mid January, on about 2.9% of Florida checklists.