The answer to whether loons are found in South Carolina is a definitive yes, though their presence is seasonal. They are not permanent residents but rather non-breeding, migratory visitors that utilize the state’s waters during the colder months. The species most commonly observed is the Common Loon (Gavia immer), one of North America’s largest waterbirds. They arrive to overwinter before returning to their northern breeding grounds.
The Seasonal Residents: Winter Migration
Loons undertake an annual southward migration from their freshwater breeding territories in the northern United States and Canada. They leave their summer homes, often deep inland lakes, as the surface water begins to freeze over in the late fall. The inability to hunt or take flight from ice-covered water makes migration a necessity for survival during the winter season.
The typical window for loon presence in South Carolina begins around late October and extends through early spring, generally until March or April. Their migration route brings them from their breeding sites, across the continent, to the relative warmth and open waters of the southeastern coast. The state serves as a vital wintering and stopover location on the Atlantic flyway.
The loons seek out these southern waters to access a reliable food supply of fish and aquatic life. Their spring departure is a swift reverse migration, with many birds leaving en masse to return to their ancestral breeding lakes. This timing ensures they arrive in the north just as the ice thaws and the nesting season begins.
South Carolina Habitats: Where Loons Gather
Loons in South Carolina utilize two distinct types of aquatic environments during their winter stay: coastal marine waters and large inland reservoirs. Along the coast, the birds are widely distributed in saltwater estuary systems, tidal creeks, and nearshore ocean areas. They can be spotted bobbing in bays, sounds, and inlets, where they dive to forage for small fish and crustaceans.
Loons are also found on the state’s expansive man-made freshwater lakes. Large reservoirs like Lake Murray in the central part of the state and Lake Jocassee in the Upstate mountains provide the deep, open water conditions they require. Lake Jocassee, a pristine mountain lake, is particularly well-known, hosting a significant wintering population of 100 to 150 Common Loons annually.
A substantial area of open water is required for loon takeoff. Due to their dense bones and legs being positioned far back on their body, they are built for diving and swimming, not walking, and must paddle and run across the surface for a minimum of 30 yards to become airborne. This physiological need limits their choice of wintering sites to large, unobstructed bodies of water.
Identifying the Loons of the South Carolina Coast
Identifying the Common Loon in South Carolina requires recognizing its winter (basic) plumage, which differs dramatically from the iconic black-and-white breeding attire. During their southern stay, the birds display a more subtle coloration, primarily dark brownish-gray feathers across their back and head, contrasting with a clean white throat and belly. The striking black-and-white checkerboard pattern seen in summer is replaced by this muted gray.
Key identification markers include the bird’s large, heavy body profile, which sits low in the water, and a robust, thick bill that often appears light or silver-gray. A subtle, whitish indentation or wedge of color may be visible on the side of the neck. Juvenile loons, which also migrate south, may be distinguished by faint pale scalloping on their backs.
The famous, haunting calls of the loon, such as the yodel or the tremolo, are breeding territory vocalizations and are almost never heard in South Carolina. While on their wintering grounds, these birds remain largely silent, communicating only with soft hoots or calls if disturbed.