#Cinclus mexicanus

[birdblues]

American Dipper

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: American Dipper

Photo: Larry Lamsa

"The American Dipper is unique — it's the only North American songbird that routinely swims! Named for its constant up-and-down bobbing movements, this unusual bird has a number of adaptations that allow it to live an aquatic lifestyle. Since the American Dipper spends a lot of time in and around cold water, it has a number of special adaptations that allows it to survive in that environment. This swimming songbird has a lower-than-usual metabolic rate and extra oxygen-carrying capacity in its blood — both important for retaining body heat in cold water."

- American Bird Conservancy

[proton-wobbler]

Semifinals, Poll 1

American Dipper vs Blakiston's Fish Owl

sources under the cut

American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)

"He is the mountain streams' own darling, the humming-bird of blooming waters, loving rocky ripple-slopes and sheets of foam as a bee loves flowers, as a lark loves sunshine and meadows." - naturalist John Muir

eBird Sightings: 131,700; IUCN Redlist Rating: Least Concern

A songbird who has decided to take to swimming to catch his dinner, the American Dipper is our only species of dipper in North America. They span from Alaska down to Panama, living alongside clear, mountainous streams. Because they need clean and free flowing water to effectively hunt, and their prey need similar conditions to grow numerous, they are a good indicator species for water quality.

Blakiston's Fish Owl (Keputa blakistoni)

"[These] are amongst the most aquatically-based owls in the world" - Wikipedia "Massive, pale brown owl with plump, rounded ear tufts" - eBird

eBird Sightings: 396; IUCN Redlist Rating: Endangered

The largest living species of owl, Blakiston's Fish Owl inhabits dense, undisturbed old-growth forests near waterways in Russia and Japan. So long as they've got a stretch of river that doesn't freeze over, they can remain in their forests throughout the winter months. Their name comes from the fact their main prey is fish, sometimes large fish which are two or three times the weight of the owl itself. Despite this, they're more closely related to eagle-owls than true fish-owls, an African genus.

Image Sources: Dipper (Mark Daly); Fish-Owl (Julie Edgley)

[dwmmphotography]

Just a post to visit my favorite non-corvid songbird.

[wingedjewels]

American Dipper adult feeding young by Michael W Potter Via Flickr: Young American Dippers are insistent in begging from their parents. The transparency of Lake O’Hara (in this image from Yoho National Park, British Columbia) reinforces the requirement of dippers for good quality, uncontaminated water.

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) © Joseph Wolf

It hatches from dark, other, overall, rocky, strict, underwater, and unique eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[riverwindphotography]

An American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) with a beak full of larvae, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

(c) riverwindphotography, July 2023

[uncharismatic-fauna]

An American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) spottted while on a walk today. These birds are good indicators of water quality, as they only live near fast-moving streams where they can hunt for aquatic insects.

You can check out some clearer photos on my ko-fi!

[rhiannatruex]

American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus

[alonglistofbirds]

[176/10,977] American Dipper - Cinclus mexicanus

Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Superfamily: Muscicapoidea Family: Cinclidae (dippers)

Photo credit: Derek Hameister via Macaulay Library

[barry-kent-mackay]

It is the Costa Rican subspecies of the American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus ardesiacus), which is lighter coloured than the one that occurs in western North America, with a darkish cap (reminds me just a little of a Gray Catbird).

art may be used for non-commercial purposes with attribution

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[birdblues]

American Dipper

[baby-bird-beaks]

American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)

© Aaron Boone

[hello-birdies]

Cinclus mexicanus by Mouser Williams

[superbnature]

American Dipper with Salmon Egg by grzegorz_lis1 http://ift.tt/2iHU26a

[iijyl]

juvenile american dipper | photoref: evan barrientos