Dipper

Dipper, any bird of the genus Cinclus, of the family Turdidae (Thrushes), with nine species, all widely distributed in the Paleearctic region, and ranging to the alpine parts of America. The bill is straight, the nostrils are partly covered by a membrane, the feet large and strong. They are restless birds, frequenting the banks of clear streams, and often entering the water in search of the small molluscs, insects, and larvae, on which they feed. One species, C. aquaticus, the Common Dipper or Water Ouzel, is British. The length of the male is about nine inches, brownish black above, white on the upper part of the breast, chestnut-brown on the belly. Its popular name has reference to the peculiar movements of the bird, which ducks its head and lifts its tail many times in succession as it pours forth its twittering song. The nest is a domed structure of felted moss, with a hole in the side, and is concealed with great art, generally near the water. The eggs are white, four to six in number, and there are usually two broods in a year.