American Dipper
The American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus), the lone member of the family Cinclidae found in the United States, also holds the title as the only aquatic songbird in the country.
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They feel equally at home in high elevation Rocky Mountains rivers and low elevation coastal streams, as long as the water is clean. Their diet consists primarily of aquatic insects, however they will also consume small fish and salmon eggs when they are available.
The picture of the dipper on the left, for example, was taken at a salmon spawning stream close to the coast. Like many of the diving ducks, dippers dive into the water and forage for their meals. In shallow streams they tend to wade along the stream bed pecking for food similar to shorebirds.
American Dippers are medium sized birds with dull color feathers. When you observe them for any period of time, you also hear them singing. Both sexes sing freely, for a variety of reasons, including marking territory and attracting mates.
Most dippers reside year round in their preferred streams. What little migration they might practice usually consists of moving up or down stream, depending on weather and food conditions.
© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels