This species may occasionally be seen on our shallow bays and estuaries or on inland lakes during the autumn migration, but its large size and conspicuous flight soon call forth a gunner and it is either shot or frightened away. It was never common in England, but in the eighteenth century it used to nest in a few localities. Nowadays only one or two eyries are known in the British Isles, and these are situated in remote parts of the Highlands of Scotland and zealously protected. Its food consists entirely of surface-swimming fish, on which it plunges from a considerable height.

The male has the head white, streaked with brown, rest of the upper parts brown; under parts white slightly spotted with brown on the breast. Legs greenish blue.

The female is rather larger and more spotted on the breast. The young have buff margins to the feathers of the back. Length 22 in.; wing 19 in.