Dippers

The Dippers are a special group of stocky, short-tailed birds perfectly suited for life in water. All species have the amazing ability to walk underwater along the bottoms of streams, searching for small animals to eat using their strong legs and partly webbed feet. Their thick feathers and large oil glands keep them dry, while a special membrane protects their eyes when they are underwater. These robin-sized birds live across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, always near fast-flowing rivers and streams in hilly and mountainous areas. Their unique bobbing or dipping movement when sitting on rocks is a clear sign of this family. There are five species in this group, all with similar needs and feeding habits. They build dome-shaped nests near water, often hidden behind waterfalls or under bridges. Their presence shows that the water is clean and well-oxygenated, so they are useful for checking the health of freshwater environments.