From Opus

Alternative name: Water Ouzel

Photo by jvhigbee
Pierce Co., Washington, USA

Cinclus mexicanus

[edit] Identification

L. 7-8 1/2" (18-22 cm)

• Uniform slate-gray
• Wren-shaped with stubby tail
• Yellowish feet

Juvenile:

• Paler overall
• Mottled underparts

[edit] Distribution

From Alaska including Aleutian Islands through western Canada, USA, Mexico and Central America to Panama. Northern population move to lowlands in winter.

Photo by jvhigbee
Lewis County, Washington, USA, June 2005

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[2]

• C. m. unicolor:

• Aleutian Islands to Alaska, western Canada and western US

• C. m. mexicanus:

• Highlands of northern and central Mexico

• C. m. anthonyi:

• Mountains of southern Mexico (Chiapas) to Guatemala and Honduras

• C. m. ardesiacus:

• Mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama

[edit] Habitat

The American Dipper is most often seen in clear, fastrunning mountain streams.

[edit] Behavior

When standing on a rock in or near the stream, they often "bob" up and down.

[edit] Breeding

Nest is large but normally well hidden^[1]

[edit] Diet

Food mainly consist of invertebrates living in streams. Dippers often disappear under the surface searching for food.

[edit] Vocalization

Song: A loud, bubbling song that carries over the noise of rapids.
Call: A sharp zeet

[edit] References

1. Howell & Webb, 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198540124
2. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
3. enature

• List of references

[edit] External Links