American Dipper
Cinclus mexicanus
Formerly known as the Water Ouzel, the American Dipper forages under water in fast-moving streams and rivers. These birds don’t migrate, though they sometimes make elevational adjustments to their territories seasonally. We find them throughout western North America, from Alaska to Central America.
When foraging, these birds swim underwater using their wings to propel them through the rushing mountain streams they love. Their diet is exclusively animal, with insects, larvae, egg masses, and sometimes fish on their menu. When walking along the shores or over the rocky islands, they bob, or dip as they move in a curious dancing motion, reminiscent of pipits or Spotted Sandpipers.
Modern science recognizes five subspecies of American Dipper:
- C. m. unicolor lives in Alaska, Yukon, Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, the eastern Aleutian Islands, Utah, California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.
- C. m. mexicanus lives in western Mexico, from Chihuahua south and east to Michoacán, and western Puebla.
- C. m. dickermani lives on the Pacific slope of southwestern Mexico and on the Atlantic slope from Veracruz to Puebla.
- C. m. anthonyi lives in southern Mexico and northern Central America.
- C. m. ardesiacus lives in middle to south Central America.
I once found a nest of one of these birds in Utah made of living moss stuck to the side of a steep rock face at the edge of a stream between waterfalls. It was so well disguised, it seamlessly blended into the terrain. So well placed it was, any attempt to reach it would have been suicidal. I’m not sure if the nest was active, but I took photos as a remembrance.
25 Photos
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Haines Alaska and the Chilkoot River 2005-07-16. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:17 12:41 |
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Location:
Chilkoot (historical) |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 |
File Name: JCD869AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 14:26 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD1776AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 14:17 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD1754AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 14:05 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD1725AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 13:27 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD1652AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 13:20 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD1620AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 11:46 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X1969-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:31 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X2182-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:29 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/80 |
File Name: D3X2176-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:26 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: D3X2123-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:24 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X2102-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:20 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X2066-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: A dipper nest I found along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:06 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X1972-AmericanDipper-Nest |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 13:28 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD1655AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I found this bird in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:35 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D729887-AmericanDipper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I found this bird in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:14 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D729879-AmericanDipper-Female |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:27 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/80 |
File Name: D3X2151-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
|
Description: I met this dipper along the Logan River by US Highway 89, near the Brachipad Summer Home Area. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:13 12:26 |
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Location:
Brachipad Summer Home Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X2118-AmericanDipper |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I found this bird in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:35 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D729892-AmericanDipper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I found this bird in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:35 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D729893-AmericanDipper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I found this bird in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:46 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/80 |
File Name: D729940-AmericanDipper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: I found this bird in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:43 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: D729930-AmericanDipper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
|
Description: Hungry young dippers waiting to be fed by their attending parent at Rush Creek, Mono Basin, California. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:18 14:16 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD1749AmericanDipper |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Found in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:04 16:35 |
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Location:
Lithia Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D729892-AmericanDipper |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus) |
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Description: Sights along the Lower Rogue River from Gold Beach to 40 miles above Agnus Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:10 10:19 |
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Location:
Bagnell Ferry |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 280 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: AmericanDipper_D5X1088-LowerRogueRiver |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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