WhenToBird

Common Loon · Gavia immer

When Do Loons Arrive in Ohio?

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

Common Loons are winter birds in Ohio: they arrive in mid October, peak in mid November (7.8% of checklists), and most are gone by early January. They are the only regular loons in Ohio.

When to look

First arrivalsOct 15-21mid October
Common byOct 15-21mid October
PeakNov 15-21mid November
Most gone byJan 1-7early January

Best: mid November. First arrivals mid October; most are gone by early January. Peak: on about 7.8% of Ohio checklists.

  1. Januncommon
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Mayuncommon
  6. Junrare
  7. Julnot usually seen
  8. Augnot usually seen
  9. Sepnot usually seen
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Deccommon

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

Loons in Ohio, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Common LoonOct 15-21Oct 15-21Nov 15-21Jan 1-77.8%
0%5%10%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 Ohio 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 Ohio

Best counties for Common Loon

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Fulton CountyBest early April · 65 checklists that week, 2,375 in all26%
  2. Allen CountyBest late March · 335 checklists that week, 7,709 in all26%
  3. Trumbull CountyBest mid November · 373 checklists that week, 21,066 in all24%
  4. Champaign CountyBest late March · 82 checklists that week, 2,549 in all23%
  5. Hancock CountyBest early November · 131 checklists that week, 9,040 in all21%
  6. Paulding CountyBest late March · 48 checklists that week, 1,653 in all21%

Common questions

When do loons arrive in Ohio?
Common Loons are winter birds in Ohio: they arrive in mid October, peak in mid November (7.8% of checklists), and most are gone by early January. They are the only regular loons in Ohio.
When do loons leave Ohio?
Most Common Loons have left Ohio by early January, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see loons in Ohio?
The Common Loon is reported most often in mid November, on about 7.8% of Ohio checklists.