WhenToBird

Common Loon · Gavia immer

When Do Loons Arrive in Mississippi?

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

Common Loons are winter birds in Mississippi: the first arrive in early November, they are common by the second week of November, peak in mid January (9.9% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of April. They are the only regular loons in Mississippi.

When to look

First arrivalsNov 1-7early November
Common byNov 8-14the second week of November
PeakJan 15-21mid January
Most gone byApr 8-14the second week of April

Best: mid January. First arrivals early November; most are gone by the second week of April. Peak: on about 9.9% of Mississippi 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. Novcommon
  12. Decpeak season

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

Loons in Mississippi, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Common LoonNov 1-7Nov 8-14Jan 15-21Apr 8-149.9%
0%5%10%15%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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi

Best counties for Common Loon

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Madison CountyBest late November · 199 checklists that week, 6,285 in all28%
  2. Harrison CountyBest the second week of January · 529 checklists that week, 22,824 in all27%
  3. Tishomingo CountyBest early March · 111 checklists that week, 4,558 in all26%
  4. Prentiss CountyBest early March · 12 checklists that week, 252 in all24%
  5. Yalobusha CountyBest early December · 17 checklists that week, 368 in all23%
  6. Rankin CountyBest the second week of December · 27 checklists that week, 1,877 in all21%

Common questions

When do loons arrive in Mississippi?
Common Loons are winter birds in Mississippi: the first arrive in early November, they are common by the second week of November, peak in mid January (9.9% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of April. They are the only regular loons in Mississippi.
When do loons leave Mississippi?
Most Common Loons have left Mississippi by the second week of April, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of May.
When is the best time to see loons in Mississippi?
The Common Loon is reported most often in mid January, on about 9.9% of Mississippi checklists.