The common loon, known in Iceland as himbrimi, is both an emblem of northern waterways and a rarity on European shores. This large waterbird, scientifically named Gavia immer, is found breeding each summer on remote lakes in Iceland’s highlands, a unique distinction, as Iceland is the only place in Europe where the species nests regularly.
With its striking plumage, the loon captures attention from both naturalists and those attuned to Iceland’s rich folk traditions. In breeding season, adult loons display a dramatic black head and neck with an iridescent sheen, accentuated by intricate white marking patterns and deep red eyes. Outside the breeding months, their tones shift, blending into the browns and greys of autumn and winter landscapes.
Breeding and daily life on Icelandic lakes
Come spring, Iceland’s population of himbrimi numbers around 300 breeding pairs. Summer finds these birds nesting along water’s edge, often forming their nests from dead marsh grass in shallow depressions. Unlike many other waterbirds, the common loon favors the stillness of highland lakes, laying just one or two olive-brown, spotted eggs each year. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs and later feeding their young with fish.
While adults feed on a varied aquatic diet, mostly fish, but also crustaceans, insect larvae, and occasional plant material, the chicks develop precocious diving skills just days after hatching. By autumn, before ice encloses their lakes, the young are ready to fly to coastal wintering grounds.
Sound, legend, and language
Apart from its appearance, the common loon’s voice is woven into both Icelandic folklore and landscape. Its calls, ranging from long howls to frantic laughter, have earned the bird a place in many tales. The humorous word brúsi is a local term for the loon in the Þingeyjarsýsla area, revealing how closely people have observed its habits.
The Icelandic name himbrimi connects with wider Scandinavian roots, carrying echoes of the Norwegian word for the bird. Internationally, Gavia immer’s common English name, “loon,” possibly harks back to Old Norse and refers to its distinctive, mournful call, while its alternative Eurasian name, “great northern diver,” points to its supreme underwater hunting skills.
First described scientifically in 1764 by Morten Thrane Brünnich, the loon’s taxonomy has since reflected its uniqueness among waterbirds. Icelandic populations are considered particularly vulnerable, with fewer than 1,000 birds wintering in the country, and the species is listed as vulnerable locally.
Despite its scarcity in Iceland, the common loon holds special status elsewhere: it is a familiar icon across North America, appearing on Canadian coins and as the state bird of Minnesota. In Iceland, however, this bird’s presence is felt in quieter ways, through a flash of black-and-white on a misty lake, or in a story told over a long northern night.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
