WhenToBird

2 loon species in Virginia

When Do Loons Arrive in Virginia?

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

Common Loons and Red-throated Loons are the loons you are most likely to see in Virginia. Common Loons are winter birds in Virginia: they arrive in late October, peak in mid November (4.6% of checklists), and most are gone by mid April.

When to look

First arrivalsOct 22-31late October
Common byOct 22-31late October
PeakNov 15-21mid November
Most gone byApr 15-21mid April

Best: mid November. First arrivals late October; most are gone by mid April. Peak: on about 4.6% of Virginia 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. Octuncommon
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

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

Loons in Virginia, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Common LoonOct 22-31Oct 22-31Nov 15-21Apr 15-214.6%
Red-throated LoonNov 8-14Nov 8-14Jan 15-21Mar 22-311.5%
0%2%4%6%Common LoonRed-throated LoonJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Common Loon
  • Red-throated 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 Virginia 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 Virginia

Best counties for Common Loon

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Hampton CountyBest mid November · 124 checklists that week, 9,881 in all42%
  2. Mathews CountyBest the second week of December · 30 checklists that week, 3,594 in all39%
  3. Northampton CountyBest late November · 597 checklists that week, 27,227 in all28%
  4. Poquoson CountyBest early March · 34 checklists that week, 2,669 in all23%
  5. Middlesex CountyBest early February · 139 checklists that week, 3,855 in all23%
  6. Lancaster CountyBest late November · 67 checklists that week, 4,393 in all21%

Common questions

When do loons arrive in Virginia?
Common Loons are winter birds in Virginia: they arrive in late October, peak in mid November (4.6% of checklists), and most are gone by mid April.
When do loons leave Virginia?
Most Common Loons have left Virginia by mid 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 Virginia?
The Common Loon is reported most often in mid November, on about 4.6% of Virginia checklists.
Which loons are in Virginia?
Common Loon and Red-throated Loon are reported regularly; the Common Loon is the most common.