American Dipper

The bird from our watershed for September is the American Dipper. They live in mountains of California all year and are only found along swiftly-flowing streams, typically remaining on the same stream for their entire lives. They nest on cliff ledges or behind waterfalls during April-July. Though closely related to thrushes, Dippers "fly" underwater to catch aquatic insects and larvae.

The line drawing below was created by Mady Neufeld. You’re welcome to print out and color the image below. You can download the file here. For additional information, including photographs, range maps, and sounds, visit allaboutbirgs.org or audubon.org.