Dippers - Family Overview

Dippers are small passerine birds belonging to the family Cinclidae. They are distinctive for their association with fast-flowing rivers and streams and their ability to forage both above and below water.

Members of this family inhabit clear, well-oxygenated mountain streams, rivers, and rocky watercourses. They feed mainly on aquatic insects and other small invertebrates, which are collected by walking, swimming, or diving beneath the water surface.

In the Indian subcontinent, dippers are confined to higher elevations in the Himalayas. They are typically observed singly or in pairs along stream edges, often bobbing while perched on rocks before entering the water to feed.

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