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American Dipper
The American dipper is a rather amusing bird to watch. They get their name because they constantly "dip" or bob up and down by bending their legs. Why they dip has been theorized by many, but the most commonly accepted reason is for communication reasons. In their noisy environment with turbid water constantly rushing all around them, it is hard to hear anything other than the water. Captured in north Idaho.
The American Dipper is a stocky dark grey bird with a head sometimes tinged with brown, and white feathers on the eyelids that cause the eyes to flash white as the bird blinks. It is 16.5 cm long and weighs on average 46 g. It has long legs, and bobs its whole body up and down during pauses as it feeds on the bottom of fast-moving, rocky streams.
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Posted 10 years ago, modified 10 years ago