WhenToBird

Common Loon · Gavia immer

When Do Loons Arrive in South Dakota?

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

Common Loons are winter birds in South Dakota: they arrive in early October, peak in early November (3.7% of checklists), and most are gone by late November. They are the only regular loons in South Dakota.

When to look

First arrivalsOct 1-7early October
Common byOct 1-7early October
PeakNov 1-7early November
Most gone byNov 22-30late November

Best: early November. First arrivals early October; most are gone by late November. Peak: on about 3.7% of South Dakota checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Maruncommon
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maycommon
  6. Junrare
  7. Juluncommon
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Seprare
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decrare

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

Loons in South Dakota, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Common LoonOct 1-7Oct 1-7Nov 1-7Nov 22-303.7%
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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota

Best counties for Common Loon

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Sully CountyBest early November · 28 checklists that week, 632 in all51%
  2. Stanley CountyBest mid April · 72 checklists that week, 2,615 in all28%
  3. Gregory CountyBest early April · 12 checklists that week, 472 in all22%
  4. Hughes CountyBest mid April · 111 checklists that week, 3,765 in all20%
  5. Butte CountyBest late October · 19 checklists that week, 987 in all19%
  6. Marshall CountyBest mid October · 16 checklists that week, 760 in all18%

Common questions

When do loons arrive in South Dakota?
Common Loons are winter birds in South Dakota: they arrive in early October, peak in early November (3.7% of checklists), and most are gone by late November. They are the only regular loons in South Dakota.
When do loons leave South Dakota?
Most Common Loons have left South Dakota by late November, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see loons in South Dakota?
The Common Loon is reported most often in early November, on about 3.7% of South Dakota checklists.