page_title: List of birds of Ireland
section_title: Loons
hierarchical_section_title: List of birds of Ireland / Loons
caption_attribution_description: Common Loon (Gavia immer) in the Morro Bay, CA Estuary mudflats, Morro Bay, CA during an historic 6+ high tide in Morro Bay, CA 25nov2007 Sun. 25 Nov. 2007 - Photo by Mike Baird, Canon 5D with 300mm f/2.8 IS lens w/ 2X II TE handheld from a kayak
context_page_description: This is a list of the bird species recorded in Ireland. The avifauna of Ireland included a total of 485 species as of the end of 2019 according to the Irish Rare Birds Committee. Of them, 183 are rare, and 14 of the rarities have not been seen in Ireland since 1950. Three species were either introduced to Ireland or came to Ireland from another introduced population.
  Ireland has a relatively low diversity of breeding birds due to its isolation. Several species such as the tawny owl, Eurasian nuthatch and willow tit which breed in Great Britain have not been recorded. However, there are large colonies of seabirds including important populations of European storm-petrels, northern gannets, and roseate terns. Other notable breeding birds include corn crakes and red-billed choughs. There are no endemic species but there are endemic subspecies of white-throated dipper, coal tit, and Eurasian jay.
  Large numbers of wildfowl and waders winter in Ireland, attracted by its mild climate. About half the world population of the Greenland race of greater white-fronted geese spend the winter there.
context_section_description: Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae
  Loons, also known as divers, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble in shape when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated.
caption: Common loon, a winter visitor to coastal waters.
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