Dipper
Species Information
Олексій Карпенко [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Statistics
Scientific name: Cinclus cinclus
Length: 18cm
Wing span: 25-30cm
Weight: 55-75g
Conservation status
Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
When to see
January to December
About
The dipper is a short-tailed bird who get its name from its habit of bobbing up and down frequently and cocking its tail when perched on a rock. The bird can walk into water and under water to catch its prey. Dippers nest close to the water using cavities in riverbanks and holes in walls or trees. Both sexes help to build the nest and it is made in a dome shape out of mosses, grasses, leaves and hair. The female dipper lays 4-6 white eggs in March or April which are incubated by the female for 14-16 days. While incubation is taking place males may feed females on the nest. Chicks are fed by both parents and fledge at around 20-24 days. Dippers feed on insects and their larvae, small crustaceans and molluscs. They will also sometimes eat worms, tadpoles and small fish.
How to identify
Dippers are often found in upland areas of Scotland. They are a short-tailed bird with a reddish-brown head, nape and upper back. Their back is grey with a dark scaly pattern and they have a white chin, throat and breast and a dark belly. Dipper bills are black as well as their legs and feet. The juveniles have a lighter upper body and pink feet and legs.
Did you know ?
Dippers use the same nest sites for generations and some are thought to have used their sites for over 120 years!
How you can help?
Did you know you can help wildlife in your local river ? You can do this in many ways from reporting pollution to SEPA, by not flushing wet wipes down the toilet and even at one of our many conservation volunteer days. Check out our Get Involved page for more information on how you can get involved with your local river.