Gavia fossil map
Where fossils of Gavia have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Prehistoric birds |
|---|---|
| Lived | 33.9 million years ago to the present (Rupelian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Gaviidae |
| Named by | Forster 1788 |
| Fossil records | 125 occurrences at 79 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Finland, Canada, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Japan, Spain, Portugal |
| Rock formations | txn:39707, San Diego, Palos Verdes Sand, Peace River, Calvert, Liuchungchi |
About Gavia
Loons (North American English) or divers (British / Irish English) are a group of aquatic birds found in much of North America and northern Eurasia. All living species of loons are members of the genus Gavia, family Gaviidae, and order Gaviiformes.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Loon (revision 1381238717), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q3758978.
