Dipper

Dippers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae Genus: Cinclus
Species
Cinclus cinclus Cinclus leucocephalus Cinclus mexicanus Cinclus pallasii Cinclus schulzi

Dippers (family Cinclidae, Genus Cinclus) are a group of perching birds whose habitat includes aquatic environments in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Usually they inhabit the banks of fast-moving hillside rivers, though some nest near shallow lakes. They have dense feathers with a down undercoat, an advanced nictitating eye membrane and a larger preen gland for waterproofing their plumage.

These adaptations let them submerge and walk on the bottom to feed on insect larvae. They are about 8 inches in size with a short tail and wings and resemble the wrens, though there is no clear relationship.

Cinclus is the only genus in the family Cinclidae. The dipper, named for its bobbing or dipping movements, is also known as ousel, ouzel, or water ouzel.

see:

• White-throated Dipper or European Dipper, Cinclus cinclus
• White-capped Dipper Cinclus leucocephalus
• American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus
• Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii
• Rufous-throated Dipper Cinclus schulzi

Reference

ITIS - Cinclus (http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search-topic=TSN&search-value=178535)