# White-throated Dipper (*Cinclus cinclus*) The White-throated Dipper is a special bird that loves to dive into water! It has a white throat and a round body, making it easy to spot near rivers and streams. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Mountain streams and rivers ![White-throated Dipper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cinclus_cinclus_bronwen_y_dwr.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alun Williams333, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cinclus_cinclus_bronwen_y_dwr.jpg) ## Appearance The White-throated Dipper is a plump, starling-sized bird with a short tail. It has a distinctive pure white bib on its chest and throat, contrasting sharply with its dark brown body and head, which often appear black. Its legs are reddish-brown. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cinclidae - **Genus:** Cinclus ## Interesting facts - A dipper's call is loud and bubbling, heard even over rushing rivers! - Dippers can close their nostrils to keep water out while diving! - These birds build dome-shaped nests hidden behind waterfalls for safety! - They often bob up and down rapidly, giving them their 'dipper' name! ## Special abilities - **Underwater Prowess:** White-throated Dipper can walk and 'fly' underwater, using its strong legs and wings to hunt prey in rushing currents. - **Waterproof Coat:** White-throated Dipper has dense, oily feathers that create an insulating air layer, helping them stay warm and dry in icy waters. - **Clear Vision:** White-throated Dipper can see clearly underwater because of specialized eyes that filter glare, spotting prey in murky streams. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-20 cm - **Wingspan:** 25-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.057-0.076 kg - **Lifespan:** 7-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-6 - **Incubation:** 15-18 days ## Diet & Feeding Dippers are underwater hunters, mostly eating insects and small fish found in rivers. - **Age differences:** Young birds start with softer insect larvae before moving to larger prey. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic insect larvae, small fish, tadpoles, fish eggs - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** European Otter (*Lutra lutra*) — Otters may hunt dippers in river habitats. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A swift aerial predator of small birds. - **Hunts:** Caddisfly (*Hydropsyche siltalai*) — Dippers commonly eat their aquatic larvae. - **Hunts:** [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) — Dippers prey on their fry and eggs. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-throated Dipper? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-throated Dipper? 17-20 cm ### What is White-throated Dipper's wingspan? 25-30 cm ### How much does White-throated Dipper weigh? 0.057-0.076 kg ### How long does White-throated Dipper live? 7-10 years ### How fast can White-throated Dipper move? 60 km/h ### What does White-throated Dipper eat? Dippers are underwater hunters, mostly eating insects and small fish found in rivers. ### Where is White-throated Dipper usually found? Mountain streams and rivers ## Where to spot - [Biosphärenreservat Thüringer Wald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/biospharenreservat-thuringer-wald) — Thüringen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Schönbuch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-schonbuch) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald-Nordvogesen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pfalzerwald-nordvogesen-biosphere-reserve) — Rheinland-Pfalz, DE · Park - [Naturpark Harz/Sachsen-Anhalt](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-harz-sachsen-anhalt) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Naturpark Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nossentiner-schwinzer-heide-nature-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Naturpark Thüringer Schiefergebirge / Obere Saale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-thuringer-schiefergebirge-obere-saale) — Thüringen, DE · Park [View all places to see White-throated Dipper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-throated-dipper) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-throated Dipper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-throated-dipper)