Belgium (NB), Canada (P), China (mainland), Denmark (P), Finland (NB), Japan, Mexico, North Korea, Norway (NB) (P), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (P), Russia (European) (B), South Korea, Sweden (NB), USA (B).
Vagrant to Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska), Czech Republic, Estonia, Faroe Islands, France (NB), Germany (NB), Greenland, Ireland, Italy, Myanmar, Netherlands Antilles, Poland, Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (NB), Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Holarctic, breeding mainly along coasts of Arctic Ocean as far northern as c. 78° N. Winters in coastal waters of north-western and north-eastern Pacific and also off north-western Norway.
 
Population
Estimated population is 16,000 - 32,000 (2010) and decreasing.
Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) [XC680319]
by Seth Beaudreault (Toolik Field Station) from Toolik Field Station, North Slope, Alaska, United States (call)
Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) [XC838060]
by Seth Beaudreault (Toolik Field Station) from near 'Island Lake', North Slope, Alaska, United States (song)
Subspecies
Considered to form superspecies with Common Loon (Gavia immer).