Many thanks, LAUGE, for showing us the
PURPLE Gloss, even reflected on water!,
on this G. ARCTICA.
____________________

GLOSS may be Highly interesting :

- cf. comments on Emerald Smews re Tomas
- Lundquist's photo 6th Mar.'10.
- Related to greenish M. merganser and
- serrator?

In Siberia and Alaska, G. ARCTICA's gloss
turns GREEN (!),
i.e. Gavia a. viridigularis (Jonathan Dwight,
1918), GREEN-throated Loon [Danish: Grønstru-
bet Lom, Danske Navne, 2008].

The Northamerican G. PACIFICA, Pacific Loon,
[Danish: Stillehavslom] was split off from
arctica as a separate species, in 1985.

Baffling that pacifica may have PURPLISH
(not green) black neck, i.e. like G.a.a.!
____________________

NOTE :
Also the large loons differentiate in Gloss:

G. IMMER, Great Northern Loon [U.S.: Common
Loon, Danish: Islom] may have GREEN iridescence
on forehead, nape and throat.

G. ADAMSII, Yellow-billed Loon [Danish: Hvid-
næbbet Lom] has PURPLE gloss on head and neck

(Malling Olsen: 'purpurskinnende hoved og
hals' in Beaman et al. field guide, Danish ed.,
1998).

Hoping for more Glossy photos

K. rgds .............. C.