Pacific Loon
From Natural History of Southeast Alaska
Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) Fairly common winter resident. Not typically seen along the road system in summer. Best viewing locations in town are Eliason Harbor, the Channel, and Starrigavan Bay.
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncommon | Very Rare | Fairly Common | Fairly Common |
Best observed at: Eliason Harbor, The Channel, Starrigavan
Preferred Habitats: Protected nearshore, Unprotected nearshore
Observed at: Eliason Harbor, The Channel, Starrigavan, Crescent Bay, Near Islands
Breeding Status: Not expected to breed
Family: Gaviidae
Documented in the Sitka area
J Dan Webster
Sparse in summer; common in winter, spring, and fall. Whether or not it breeds is uncertain.
Pacific Loons seem to show up in Sitka area waters before they are typically seen from the road. Throughout the winter it is not unusual to see several feeding in the channel or harbors around Sitka.
It’s not clear to me why Pacific Loons (as well as Common Loons) would show up in the waters away from town before they are seen in town. Nor why they (apparently, I still need to confirm this) are seen in the area waters through the summer, but rarely, if ever, are seen from the road system. It seems unlikely that they are breeding here, so presumably any summer birds are non-breeding (hatched the previous year?) birds. As far as I can tell, they prefer near-shore environments, and I am not sure what differences would make the off-road system shoreline so much more appealing, but not in winter.
