The white-throated dipper may be the national bird of Norway, but these widespread aquatic passerines are known by many different names throughout their European and Asian ranges.

Common Name: White-Throated Dipper, Dipper, Common Dipper, White-Breasted Dipper, White-Fronted Dipper, European Dipper, Water Ouzel

Scientific Name: Cinclus cinclus

Scientific Family: Cinclidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Straight and stout, black

• Size: 7.5-8.5 inches long with 10-12-inch wingspan, plump build, rounded wings, short tail, long legs
• Colors: Brown, black, gray, white, chestnut
• Markings: Genders are similar though females are slightly smaller. Plumage is overall brown with darker gray rump, tail and wings, and a clearly outlined white bib covers the chin, throat and breast. Some subspecies have a chestnut band at the base of the bib that fades to gray toward the lower abdomen, but the extent of that coloration varies greatly. The head may also appear more red-brown on some subspecies. The eyes are black but may appear white when the protective nictitating membrane is closed. The legs and feet are pale gray.
  
  Juveniles are more uniformly gray and have pale edging to their feathers, which gives them a scaly appearance. The breast is lighter and can look barred, and the bib is less defined. A white arc may also be visible above the eye.

Foods: Aquatic insects, small fish, larvae, mollusks, amphibians (See: Carnivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These aquatic songbirds prefer somewhat shallow, fast-moving rivers, streams and waterfalls with rocky beds, typically in mountainous regions.

They are found year-round throughout much of Scandinavia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and western Europe to northern Turkey, the mountains of northern Spain, west to northern Turkey and into Georgia, Azerbaijan, western Kazakhstan, northern Iran, northern India, Bhutan, Nepal, China and Mongolia. To the north, they are found in the Ural Mountains, and to the south as far as northern Morocco and Tunisia. While many white-throated dippers do not migrate, some populations do spread out in winter, and after the breeding season these birds may be found more extensively throughout eastern Europe, particularly in Finland, the Baltic states and western Russia.

Vocalizations:

The typical song is a rapid series of interspersed long and short notes, with shorter notes grouped in threes. The song has a raspy, buzzy quality, and the call is a quick "tsip" or "chip" note. White-throated dippers will sing year-round, even in winter, though females are generally quieter.

Behavior:

These are solitary birds, though pairs may be seen during the breeding season and family groups stay loosely connected while parents care for their young and teach them to forage. When diving into streams, the birds will close their nictitating membrane as "goggles" underwater, and scales will close their nares to prevent water ingestion. They can swim underwater using their wings to propel through currents, and when in flight, stay low over the water with rapid wing beats. They frequently perch on rocks to watch for underwater prey, and bob repeatedly while cocking the tail upwards. During the breeding season they can be very territorial and will chase competitors away from their nesting area.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds that use a series of bobbing curtseys in their courtship behavior. They may nest early in the year, constructing a spherical nest with a side entrance. Nests are made of moss, grass, leaves and straw, positioned under a crevice or bridge just above the water's surface, and birds access the nest through a side entrance. The interior of the nest is lined with finer materials such as rootlets and hair.

There are 4-6 eggs in each brood, and the female incubates the eggs for 15-17 days while the male brings her food or guards the nest while she feeds. After the altricial young hatch, both parents care for the chicks for 20-24 days until they leave the nest, and while young birds can forage right away, they continue to learn from their parents for several weeks.

A mated pair may raise 1-3 broods each year, with multiple broods more common in southern populations.

Attracting White-Throated Dippers:

These are not backyard birds, but preserving local waterways for their use can help attract them. Preservation of bridges that can provide nesting sites is especially critical.

Conservation:

White-throated dippers are not considered threatened or endangered, but they can be sensitive to water pollution from pesticides, silt runoff, deforestation and other sources, so watching them carefully can help conservationists quickly gauge environmental changes. Fishing line can also be a concern.

Similar Birds:

• Brown Dipper (Cinclus pallasii)
• American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)
• Rufous-Throated Dipper (Cinclus schulzi)
• White-Capped Dipper (Cinclus leucocephalus)

Photo – White-Throated Dipper – Adult © Ron Knight
Photo – White-Throated Dipper – Juvenile © Stefan Berndtsson