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Dipper

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Dippers
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Family:Cinclidae
Genus:Cinclus
Species
Cinclus cinclus
Cinclus leucocephalus
Cinclus mexicanus
Cinclus pallasii
Cinclus schulzi
Dippers (family Cinclidae, Genus Cinclus) are a group of perching birds whose habitat includes aquatic environments in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Usually they inhabit the banks of fast-moving hillside rivers, though some nest near shallow lakes. They have dense feathers with a down undercoat, an advanced nictitating eye membrane and a larger preen gland for waterproofing their plumage.

These adaptations let them submerge and walk on the bottom to feed on insect larvae. They are about 8 inches in size with a short tail and wings and resemble the wrens, though there is no clear relationship.

Cinclus is the only genus in the family Cinclidae. The dipper, named for its bobbing or dipping movements, is also known as ousel, ouzel, or water ouzel.

see:

Reference

ITIS - Cinclus (http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=178535)



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