American Dipper

 

When I saw this bird, I thought "That might be one of the cutest birds I've ever seen." I saw it while I was in Alaska this summer. One day, my brother and I took a hike, and we wound up near a small bridge. It was a quiet area, with a pretty, bubbling stream, surrounded by trees. We were admiring the water when suddenly we noticed this little bird had landed on the railing of the bridge. Small and round and cute, every time it took a step, it bobbed. When it stopped stepping, it bobbed. It just kept on bobbing, or "dipping." According to the National Park Service, these birds can dip up to 60 times a minute, so as the "American Dipper," they are aptly named.^[1] See what I mean in the video below.

 

Swimmers 

In addition to being cute, American Dippers have a special talent: they can swim underwater!^[2] They are the only aquatic songbird in North America. Thick, well-insulated feathers with a waterproof coating help them submerge into frigid waters, and an additional transparent eyelid allows them to see their underwater prey.^[2,3] Small fish, insect larvae, tadpoles, and more are all on the menu.^[2,4] Rocks in the way? They'll nudge them aside to look for food.^[2] They can swim up to 20 feet underwater and sometimes flap their wings like they're flying as they swim.^[2,3] They can even fly through waterfalls.^[5] They are truly amazing birds. 

 

Here is the stream we saw the bird at: 

 

 

 

Cold, clear, rocky water is where you are most likely to spot an American Dipper.^[5] And if you spot one, you might see it again. Their territories can reach up to 1/2 a mile,^[6] and they don't move around much—unless their favorite stream freezes over.^[1]

Nesting 

American Dippers like to build their nests close to water too.^[4] About the size of a basketball, their nests are round and mossy, like a dome.^[1,7] They'll make homes on cliffs by the water, under bridges, under trees near the water's edge, and even behind waterfalls.^[1,8] In one study, a researcher who observed several American Dipper nests noted that the nests had a "high degree of inaccessibility," with the fast and deep water helping block access to the nest.^[8] So I guess you could say that if a bird's nest is its castle, then the American Dippers seem to like motes.

 

This bird likes to bob.

 

American Dippers tend to lay 3-5 eggs.^[7] Although the adult birds are quite adept at navigating cold weather, the baby birds need help.^[2] They cannot regulate their body temperatures yet, so the mom broods them. Both parents help feed the chicks.^[7] Soon after the young birds leave the nest (up to 3.5 weeks after they're born), they are ready to go swimming!

All in all, American Dippers are amazing birds. They are small, but from the moment they are born, they fearlessly live their lives near fast and frigid waters. And they do it while merrily bobbing along, being entirely cute. 

The Details: 

Common Name: American Dipper

Scientific Name: Cinclus mexicanus

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Cinclidae

Seen: Bobbing along on a bridge above a stream

Month: July '25

Range: The American Dipper can be found in both Central America and North America.^[9] In the United States, it is found in Colorado and to the west. From there, its range extends northward up through Canada into Alaska. The Cornell Lab has a helpful range map on its website. 

Learn More About American Dippers:

1. Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve. (2021, July 26). American Dipper. National Park Service.
2. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (n.d.). American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus): Species profile. State of Alaska.
3. Zion National Park. (2016, January 31). American Dipper. National Park Service.
4. Alsop, F. J. (2002). Birds of North America (American ed.). Dorling Kindersley Limited.
5. Rocky Mountain National Park. (2018, May 4). American Dipper. National Park Service.
6. Montana Natural Heritage Program & Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. (n.d.). American Dipper — Cinclus mexicanus. Montana Field Guide.
7. Kaufman, K. (1996). Lives of North American birds. Houghton Mifflin.
8. Hann, H. W. (1950). Nesting behavior of the American Dipper in Colorado. The Condor, 52(2), 49-62. https://doi.org/10.2307/1364753 
9. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). American Dipper: Range map. All About Birds.