American
Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus
American Dippers live along fast-running creeks in the American West, foraging for aquatic insects, and building their nests in sheltered spots near the water, often under bridges. They are named for their back-and-forth rocking motion, best seen while they are standing on a rock in the stream as in several of the photos on this page.
Here an adult dipper is carrying a prey item to a rock, see below, from which it will fly to the nest to feed its young.
Nestlings calling for food from the nest, a reaction triggered when they hear the adult's call as it flies toward them.
Recently fledged juveniles in the Sierras at 4000 feet begging to be fed by an adult, in June above, in July below.
Above, a fledgling in July, not long out of the nest, still dependent on adults for food. Below, two pictures of a more developed juvenile in September, with the white-lined feathers of full juvenal plumage, foraging for itself, in a creek mouth at the ocean shore.
