Dippers are unusual birds in many ways. They have no close relatives in North America, they are the only songbird that can swim, and they have an unusual behavior that gives them their name. By bobbing their whole body up and down, they “dip” while resting on a rock or log. Formerly called “water ouzel,” these birds are noted for their underwater acrobatics. Short wings act much like flippers, enabling them to swim upstream against currents, eating insect larvae and other freshwater invertebrates. Their dense coat of feathers keeps them warm, even through our cold winters.

Dippers are found in Leavenworth year-round. Although they are found in the west from Alaska to Mexico, Leavenworth’s Christmas Bird Counts usually boast one of the highest numbers of this species in the nation. American dippers are indicators of fresh, clean water.