It can be challenging to get appealing images of very plain “little brown birds”, like the American Dipper, but with time & effort, it can be done.
A chunky bird of western streams, the American Dipper is North America's only truly aquatic songbird. It catches all of its food underwater in swiftly flowing streams by swimming and walking on the stream bottom. To be able to survive in cold waters during the winter, they have low metabolic rate, extra oxygen-carrying capacity in its blood, and a thick coat of feathers.
Unlike most other songbirds, but similarly to ducks, the American Dipper molts its wing and tail feathers all at once in the late summer. The bird is flightless during this time.
The American Dipper chooses a nest site, invariably along a stream, that provides security from floods and predators. Availability of suitable nest sites appears to limit its populations.
Excellent images, Colin, you did very well there! I see that the dipper has quite a bit of variety of its diet. Thank you for sharing not only the images but also the info on the bird itself.
AGeoJO wrote:
Excellent images Colin, you did very well there! I see that the Dipper has quite a bit of variety of its diet. Thank you for sharing not only the images but also the info on the bird itself.
Your post is full of superb photographs and interesting information. The kind of posts I really appreciate. Never heard of the bird and its unusual life. Amazing that it is flightless part of the time. Can't be easy surviving. YGMV.
dclark wrote:
Your post is full of superb photographs and interesting information. The kind of posts I really appreciate. Never heard of the bird and its unusual life. Amazing that it is flightless part of the time. Can't be easy surviving. YGMV.
As others have said, this is a great set of photographs. The third one appeals to me more than than the others just because of its uniqueness.
Tom
Thanks Tom. It was that brief moment when the bird had just popped up from an exploratory dunk under water.
*It appears I could have used a wee bit more shutter speed, but conditions were very dark.
Great set. I photographed my 1st dipper a few years ago on a family trip to Yellowstone. Watching it in the quick rapids was the best part of my trip that year.
troy bilt wrote:
Great set. I photographed my 1st dipper a few years ago on a family trip to Yellowstone. Watching it in the quick rapids was the best part of my trip that year.
You nailed this set
Thanks, yes, they are fun to watch aren't they? It's amazing to see a bird actually dwell under water for a spell while it forages for food.
