This column has a soundtrack, and you might know the one. Imagine yourself in the North Woods on a summer night, next to a clear, quiet lake. Now listen for the haunting calls of a common loon ...

… but our independent journalism isn’t free to produce. Help us keep it this way with a tax-deductible donation today. A migratory diver of the loon family, the common loon (Gavia immer) has been ...

The national honor bestowed upon the official state bird of Minnesota earlier this month confirms what Minnesotans already know well — just how special the loon is. The common loon is known for its ...