Dippers

Description

Dippers are songbirds, but live an aquatic life. They live in and around fast-moving, rocky-bottomed streams, and eat insects and other small invertebrates that they take from the bottoms of these streams. Dippers can walk under water and dive and swim against strong currents. They use their wings as paddles under the water and have dense plumage that helps keep them warm in cold water. Of the five species worldwide in this group, most are monogamous, and most are resident or migrate only short distances. Their nests are covered domes, usually with an outer lining of moss. Females generally incubate the eggs, and males help with other parental duties.