Red-throated diver

Red-throated diver — © Zveriki.com, AI-generated image based on the original work of Ómar Runólfsson (https://www.flickr.com/people/29174969@N00), Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
Mass
1462–1657 g
Length
530–690 mm
Lifespan
5479–9131 days 15–25 years
26691
0
1
red-throated-diver
en
red-throated diver
Gavia stellata
The red-throated loon is a medium-sized diving bird from the loon family. It lives in northern regions, swims well, and dives for prey in cold water.
The Red-throated Loon differs from other loons by the red throat patch during the breeding season and smaller body size. It is important for nature as a predator that controls fish populations in northern lakes and seas.
diving and catching with beak
trophic:carnivore
#fefefe
Mass (chick)
50–1300 g
Mass (adult bird)
900–2500 g
Length (adult bird)
530–690 mm
Length (chick)
150–450 mm
Wingspan
1040 mm
Lifespan maximum
8766 days 24 years
Theoretical lifespan
5959–8512 days 16–23 years
Gestation
28 days 4 weeks
Litter size
1–3
Maturity
730–1460 days 2–4 years
Offspring
1–3
Repro interval
365 days 1 year
Legs count (adult bird)
2
Beak count (adult bird)
1
Beak size (adult bird)
35–55 mm
Comparable in mass
Melon
Realm
Palearctic realm
Realm
Freshwater
Realm
Nearctic realm
Realm
Marine world
Biome
Tundra
Biome
Taiga
Biome
Flooded grasslands
Biome
Temperate mixed forest
Biome
River estuary into the sea
Habitat (after transformation until death)
marine coastal
Climate
Always very wet
Climate
Warm summer and lots of rain
Landscape
freshwater
Habitat (whole life)
lakes and ponds
Landscape
freshwater marsh and wetlands
Landscape
marine
Landscape
marine coastal benthic
Landscape
marine coastal demersal
Climate
Polar tundra
Climate
Warm summer
Climate
Pleasant summer
Climate
Tundra
Climate
Cool summer
Climate
Winter with snow
Climate
Lots of rain and cool summer
Food environment
aquatic
Shelter
nest
Trophic type
carnivore
5478.75
9131.25
5958.720793665063
8512.458276664376
530.0
690.0
1461.6417259280386
1656.547917805189
Worker
Were {name} like {animal}, then:
birth time
Submerges underwater to reach prey or food at depth.
very cold, short summer, lots of moss
Dogs, dolphins, lynx hang out for 9-25 years and party on their birthday three times a year
m
Map
will celebrate their {n} birthday
g
summer mild, +15…+20 °C
Polar tundra
t
When your next jubilee falls in {name} life years
Human
Legs count
very cold, short summer, almost no trees, lots of moss
days
Warm summer
How old you would be if you lived as {name}
crustaceans
Theoretical maximum lifespan estimated from the Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) mathematical model. This value reflects a biological potential derived from metabolic parameters, not from direct observation — real recorded lifespans are often significantly shorter.
small planktonic crustaceans — copepods, krill
beak
adult bird
Maturity
fish of small size
Melon
About health
marine coastal
When your next birthday would fall if you lived as {name}
Repro interval
results
summer warm, winter not very cold
Colors
Cool summer
Sex
Upcoming jubilees
Gremllins
diving
mo
live fish
all seas and oceans
Trophic type
Filters
small fish
Palearctic realm
Upcoming birthdays
standing fresh waters — lakes, ponds, oxbow lakes
Breeding structure built or used for laying eggs and raising offspring.
Winter with snow
Truly long lives: 40-100 years. Bowhead whales, albatrosses, giant tortoises recall their birthday at most once a year
Lifespan
rains almost always, very humid
Age (juvenile)
Age (from birth to death)
Age (embryo)
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
Wanderers
Food items are collected from exposed outer surfaces of substrates.
Jubilee = every 10th birthday
marine coastal demersal
More:
Tundra
Earliest developmental stage inside an egg or womb.
marine coastal benthic
Business sausages
Lifespan average
What do they look like?
Maturity
emergence (insects)
end of lifespan
How do they live?
fertilization / egg laying
How do they behave?
birth / hatching
metamorphosis / end of larval stage
fish
end of acceleration
benthic biotope of coastal marine waters
Share
swampy freshwater biotopes — peat bogs, marshes, river mangroves
Find a pet...
Mature, fully developed individual capable of reproduction.
Actively hunting and capturing live prey.
where the river flows into the sea, slightly salty water, lots of fish and birds
Pets
Nearctic realm
Lots of rain and cool summer
{name} jubilee
cm
Old-timers
Find an animal or breed...
Wingspan
turns
Rascals
Flooded grasslands
Litter size
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
How to care for them?
Living from 25 to 40 years. Orangutans, bald eagles, African elephants celebrate their birthday twice a year
°C
Not specified
Share
diving and catching with beak
Where are they found?
from 0.8 to 1.2 kilograms, 0.6 – 1.2 meters
all rivers and lakes
insects living in water or near water — mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies
lots of rain, cool summer, snow in winter
Locomotion through water employed while searching for or capturing prey.
Legendary longevity: over 100 years. Galapagos tortoises, Greenland sharks, ocean quahogs celebrate with family once every 4 years
Offspring
Elders
Bro
lakes and ponds
freshwater marsh and wetlands
Taxons
carnivore
if born as {name}
cold, short summer, almost no trees
age
birth date
swimming
Palearctic realm
Close
was
Career from 7 to 15 months. Dwarf hamsters, voles, field crickets celebrate their birthday twice a month
The basics
My weight?
demersal biotope of coastal marine waters
Non-stop carnival: they only live a few days. Mayflies, rotifers, midges celebrate their birthday more than twice a day
surface
primary food sources
Beak size
after transformation until death
Potential Habitat
d
In husbandry
On the go from 1.3 to 3.5 years. Forest mice, anoles, rainbow fish party on their birthday once a month
Feeding occurs in water bodies such as rivers, lakes, or oceans.
Mass
cold winter, lots of coniferous trees: spruce, pine
Mosquitoes, fruit flies, small crustaceans hustle for up to 7 months and throw a birthday party every week
Gestation
aquatic
{name} birthday
aquatic insects
Nearctic realm
Link copied
No results found
North America and Greenland, from tundra to forests
On the map
Pleasant summer
all life stages
Female ♀
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0 Potential habitat modelled from GBIF occurrence data. Map © Zveriki.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Throat patch color
Beak count
birth year
Maturity
sq mm
yr
Beak color
comfortable summer, +20…+25 °C
How similar?
Male ♂
until the celebration
chick
Tundra
age as {name}
How do they breed?
On the go from 3.5 to 6 years. Hedgehogs, crows, lizards treat themselves to birthday snacks 6 times a year
Legs color
What if eaten?
Neither
from birth to adulthood
Young offspring still dependent on parental care.
nest
Down cover color
What do they eat?
Where do they live?
Immature individual that has not yet reached reproductive maturity.
Marine world
from birth to death
much snow in winter, cold
Plumage color
water often floods the land, lots of grass
River estuary into the sea
Freshwater
Temperate mixed forest
Duration
saline marine habitat
This is me
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
freshwater
Always very wet
Gamers
How are they built?
marine
shallow near the shore, water rises and falls, crabs live here
mm
Theoretical lifespan
ml
Stars
Link copied
coastal marine zone — shelf, neritic zone
My age?
wk
My size?
Taiga
Asexual
swap
freshwater environment — rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps
active predation
Who among us will transform as if by magic and become like {animal}?
Rabbits, falcons, red-eared turtles hang out for 6-9 years and party on their birthday four times a year
Where do they take shelter?
Warm summer and lots of rain
celebrated their {n} birthday
When you would have been born if you lived as {name}
Littoral Zone
Daddies
Lifespan maximum
whole life
Hermaphrodite ⚥
North America and Greenland, from tundra to forests
egg
Hard, projecting mouthpart used to probe, pluck, or crack food.
summer warm, many oaks, birches, maples
Length
kg
lots of rain, warm and pleasant summer
Observations
◉{N} more on tap
chick
pupa
imago
fledgling
young bird
red-throated-diver
gagara-krasnozobaya
qirmizidos-qaqar
ghwas-ahmr-alhnjrt
gagach-chyrvonavallyovy
karmraxaci-suzahav
abi
ts-itelq-ela-ghorikhva
gagara-krasnozobaya
abi
gagara-krasnozobaya
ridogrli-morski-gnurats
red-throated-diver
gagara-krasnozobaya
hong-hou-qian-niao
  • Post-breeding molting in the red-throated diver is complete and occurs from late September to December, during which the birds temporarily lose the ability to fly. Primary flight feathers are replaced simultaneously, which is why this happens.
  • The red-throated diver is capable of diving to a depth of up to 21 meters. The usual diving depth is 2–9 meters, but in some cases it reaches 21 meters.
  • The red-throated diver forages on shallow waters, diving against the current, similar to loons. It often feeds on river shoals.
  • The red-throated diver is the smallest of the divers, its mass is 1.1–2.5 kg, and body length is 53–69 cm. It lacks white spots on the back and wings, only small white speckles, which are not visible from a distance.
  • The red-throated diver displays an aggressive "penguin stance," rising above the water, stretching its neck upward and raising its beak, while simultaneously slapping its feet against the water. This pose is accompanied by foot slapping, which enhances its visual impact.
  • The red-throated diver can live up to 24 years. During wintering and migration in areas with abundant food, birds gather in groups, sometimes numbering up to 500 individuals.
  • The red-throated diver is able to take off almost without a run, so it often nests on small ponds with a diameter of 10–15 m. It flies daily to feed on large fish-rich lakes.
  • The red-throated diver produces a particularly expressive melodic call "kuuii… kukuii…," characteristic of territorial pairs. At an accelerated tempo, it also performs a unison duet, sounding like a hoarse, trembling "hau-op… hau-op… hau-op.
  • The male red-throated diver returns to water immediately after mating, while the female continues to mimic nest-building. After copulation, which lasts 10–20 seconds, the female sometimes extends her neck horizontally, as if building a nest.
  • The red-throated diver’s throat patch changes color depending on the distance. From a distance, it appears black and is not a reliable field mark.
  • Before copulation, the red-throated diver performs dives and displays a posture lying on water with the necks extended at a 45° angle. Both partners simultaneously dip their bills into the water and dive forcefully, repeating this several times.

Age

  • The red-throated diver can live up to 24 years. During wintering and migration in areas with abundant food, birds gather in groups, sometimes numbering up to 500 individuals.

Phenotype

  • The red-throated diver is the smallest of the divers, its mass is 1.1–2.5 kg, and body length is 53–69 cm. It lacks white spots on the back and wings, only small white speckles, which are not visible from a distance.
  • The red-throated diver displays an aggressive "penguin stance," rising above the water, stretching its neck upward and raising its beak, while simultaneously slapping its feet against the water. This pose is accompanied by foot slapping, which enhances its visual impact.
  • The male red-throated diver returns to water immediately after mating, while the female continues to mimic nest-building. After copulation, which lasts 10–20 seconds, the female sometimes extends her neck horizontally, as if building a nest.
  • The red-throated diver’s throat patch changes color depending on the distance. From a distance, it appears black and is not a reliable field mark.
  • Before copulation, the red-throated diver performs dives and displays a posture lying on water with the necks extended at a 45° angle. Both partners simultaneously dip their bills into the water and dive forcefully, repeating this several times.

Physiology

  • Post-breeding molting in the red-throated diver is complete and occurs from late September to December, during which the birds temporarily lose the ability to fly. Primary flight feathers are replaced simultaneously, which is why this happens.

Size

  • The red-throated diver is the smallest of the divers, its mass is 1.1–2.5 kg, and body length is 53–69 cm. It lacks white spots on the back and wings, only small white speckles, which are not visible from a distance.

Geography

  • The red-throated diver is capable of diving to a depth of up to 21 meters. The usual diving depth is 2–9 meters, but in some cases it reaches 21 meters.

Feeding

  • The red-throated diver forages on shallow waters, diving against the current, similar to loons. It often feeds on river shoals.
  • Before copulation, the red-throated diver performs dives and displays a posture lying on water with the necks extended at a 45° angle. Both partners simultaneously dip their bills into the water and dive forcefully, repeating this several times.

Reproduction

  • The male red-throated diver returns to water immediately after mating, while the female continues to mimic nest-building. After copulation, which lasts 10–20 seconds, the female sometimes extends her neck horizontally, as if building a nest.
  • The red-throated diver forages on shallow waters, diving against the current, similar to loons. It often feeds on river shoals.
  • The red-throated diver displays an aggressive "penguin stance," rising above the water, stretching its neck upward and raising its beak, while simultaneously slapping its feet against the water. This pose is accompanied by foot slapping, which enhances its visual impact.
  • The red-throated diver is able to take off almost without a run, so it often nests on small ponds with a diameter of 10–15 m. It flies daily to feed on large fish-rich lakes.
  • The red-throated diver produces a particularly expressive melodic call "kuuii… kukuii…," characteristic of territorial pairs. At an accelerated tempo, it also performs a unison duet, sounding like a hoarse, trembling "hau-op… hau-op… hau-op.
  • The male red-throated diver returns to water immediately after mating, while the female continues to mimic nest-building. After copulation, which lasts 10–20 seconds, the female sometimes extends her neck horizontally, as if building a nest.
  • The red-throated diver’s throat patch changes color depending on the distance. From a distance, it appears black and is not a reliable field mark.
  • Before copulation, the red-throated diver performs dives and displays a posture lying on water with the necks extended at a 45° angle. Both partners simultaneously dip their bills into the water and dive forcefully, repeating this several times.