Loonie Tunes

The call of a loon transforms an ordinary body of water into an otherworldly landscape. In it, we hear the stewards of stillness and wilderness, but how many of us can claim to know these enchanting birds beyond their mournful cry or the coins weighing down our pockets?

James D. Paruk certainly can. His new book, Loon Lessons, represents the first detailed account of the great northern diver in thirty years (which is, coincidentally, the lifespan of one of these water birds). Paruk, an American naturalist who has spent decades studying Gavia immer, approaches his subject with a fastidiousness that never fully eclipses his sense of wonder. His reverence is infectious, and the resulting work is a rich and engrossing read.

Contrary to popular belief, common loons are not part of the Anatidae family — which...