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Minnesota’s State Bird: The Common Loon
The state bird of Minnesota is the common loon, also known as Gavia immer. This large waterbird was designated as the official state bird of Minnesota in 1961. It is an iconic species and symbolizes many aspects of life in the North Star State.
The common loon is a large aquatic bird with a long pointed bill, black head, white underbelly and red eyes. Its wingspan ranges from 38-54 inches (96-137 cm) depending on its sex and age. Its legs are set far back on its body to make walking on land difficult but give it great underwater agility for swimming and fishing. Loons are capable of long distance migrations up to 3,000 miles (4 828 km).
Loons spend much of their time during summer months in northern regions such as Minnesota’s lakes where they nest and raise their young until fall migration season begins again when they fly south for wintering grounds lower in latitude like Texas or Florida coasts near Mexico Gulf waters or along Pacific coastlines near California shores amongst others before returning north again come springtime once more completing full circle migratory route annually every year thus..
In addition to being the state bird of Minnesota, these beautiful creatures also play an important role in ecology by helping maintain healthy fish populations through predation while at same time finding protection from predators themselves by diving into deep lake waters avoiding danger above surface completely outsmarting potential attackers even birds of prey that cannot reach them beneath lake depths!
Unfortunately though due to human activities such habitat destruction pollution noise interference etc., loons have been suffering adversely reducing populations significantly over past few decades making conservation efforts all that much more vital towards preserving this species which has proudly stood tall representing Minnesota’s natural beauty since 1961 officially becoming our beloved avian mascot further reinforcing close ties we share between nature wildness alongside civilization development side-by-side living together harmoniously for generations upon end!
