The white-throated dipper is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is divided into several subspecies, based primarily on colour differences, particularly of the pectoral band. The white-throated dipper is Norway's national bird.
Similar species: Perching Birds
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This chocolate-brown, plump bird is a white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus). It’s an aquatic songbird that can be found alongside fast-flowing rivers from Europe to Asia. Read that again and marvel: An aquatic songbird!
They’re called “dippers” because they are constantly bobbing and dipping their bodies up and down. They never sit still, but are always “bobbing and dipping”, as if they are in a state of constant excitement.
This fantastic photo shows why these birds are so incredible! In their search for invertebrate prey, dippers have the unique ability to hunt underwater! In fact, they can even swim underwater. And, they can stay submerged for 30 seconds or more! It’s almost as if they are flying underwater.
How do they do this? Dippers have some fantastic adaptations:
• They have short, muscular wings, which enable them to be used like flippers so they can swim underwater
• To reduce their buoyancy, dippers have solid bones rather than hollow
• Dippers have an enlarged preen gland to waterproof their feathers
• They have special muscles in their eyes that can actually change the shape of the lens to enhance underwater vision
• Nasal flaps prevent water from entering their nostrils
• A high concentration of hemoglobin in their blood allows for greater oxygen storage
• They have a low metabolic rate, which helps them handle cold water temperatures
• When underwater, they are covered by a thin film of air due to bubbles being trapped in their feathers
Amazing, right?! Dippers are clearly oddballs among passerines. They are songbirds that swim! {White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) spotted by Gonzobird in the UK} #JungleDragon #Dipper
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 3 years ago