Gaviidae
Гахууныхан
gakhuunikhaŋ

General

This list is 'in beta'. Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Kazakh, Turkish, and Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The loons or divers have long been known in Mongolian as Ахууна akhuun. This is the name that is almost universally listed in monolingual and bilingual dictionaries. It is the translation of the Russian term Гагара 'diver, loon' in older Russian-Mongolian and Russian-Buryat dictionaries.

However, in the 2007 authoritative list of Mongolian bird names, the name Ахууна akhuun has been transferred to the genus Lagopus i.e., ptarmigans and Willow Grouse. The reason given is that actual local usage applies Ахууна akhuun to the ptarmigans, not the divers.

The new name proposed for the divers is Гахуун gakhuuŋ, a term not carried in most dictionaries at all. Like Ахууна akhuun, however, which means 'bitter', Гахуун gakhuuŋ is a term for an 'astringent' or 'burnt' flavour.

Inner Mongolian dictionaries give Гага шувуу 'gaga bird' for the divers or for diving ducks, depending on the dictionary. More specialised sources give Шунгал шувуу shungal shuvuu, Шунгагч шувуу shungagch shuvuu, or Шунгат шувуу shungat shuvuu, all meaning 'diving bird' and likely modelled on Chinese 潜鸟 qiánniǎo 'diving bird'.

Species names

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SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		MONGOLIAN			EAST ASIAN			TURKIC
Gavia
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Inner M	Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Gavia stellata	Red-throated diver or Red-throated loon Краснозобая гагара	Улаангүеэ гахуун ulaaŋ-güee gakhuuŋ 'red-throat gakhuuŋ'	Улагар ? шунгат шувуу ᠣᠯᠠᠭᠠᠷ ᠱᠣᠩᠭᠣᠲᠣ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ ulagar ? shuŋgat shuvuu 'reddish diver bird' (32)	Mongolia formerly: Улаан омруут ахууна ulaaŋ omruut akhuun 'red-breasted akhuun' IM also: Улаан багалзуурт шунгал шувуу ᠣᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠪᠠᠭᠠᠯᠵᠣᠷᠲᠣ ᠱᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ ulaaŋ bagalzuurt shuŋgal shuvuu 'red-throated diver bird' (31) or Шунгач алаг ᠱᠣᠩᠭᠠᠴᠢ ᠠᠯᠠᠭ shuŋgach alag 'diver motley' (alt in 31) or Шунгал нугас ᠱᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠨᠤᠭᠤᠰᠤ shuŋgal nugas 'diver duck' (alt in 31)	红喉潜鸟 (紅喉潛鳥) hóng-hóu qián-niǎo 'red-throated diving bird' Taiwan: (红喉潜鸟) 紅喉潛鳥 hóng-hóu qián-niǎo 'red-throated diving bird'	アビ (阿比) abi 'abi'	아비 abi 'abi'	Қызылжемсаулы гагара qızıl-jemsawlı gagara 'red-throated grebe' (from Russian)	Kızılgerdan Dalgıç 'red-jowled grebe' Kızılgerdanlı Dalgıç 'red-jowled grebe'
Gavia arctica	Black-throated diver or Arctic loon Black-throated loon Чернозобая гагара	Хилэнгүеэ гахуун khileŋgüee gakhuuŋ 'velvet-throated gakhuuŋ'	Хилэн шунгат шувуу ᠬᠢᠯᠢᠩ ᠱᠣᠩᠭᠣᠲᠣ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ khileŋ shuŋgat shuvuu 'velvet diving bird' (32)	Mongolia formerly: Хилэн омруут ахууна khileŋ omruut akhuun 'velvet-breasted akhuun'	黑喉潜鸟 (黑喉潛鳥) hēi-hóu qián-niǎo 'black-throated diving bird' or 绿喉潜鸟 (綠喉潛鳥) lǜ-hóu qián-niǎo 'green-throated diving bird' (alt in 1) Taiwan: (黑喉潜鸟) 黑喉潛鳥 hēi-hóu qián-niǎo 'black-throated diving bird'	オオハム (大波武) ō-hamu 'hamu' (hamu written 'wave warrior')	큰회색머리아비 keun-hoe-saeng-meori-abi 'large grey-headed diver'	Қаражемсаулы гагара qara-jemsawlı gagara 'black-throated grebe' (from Russian)	Karagerdanlı Dalgıç 'black-jowled grebe'

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