On first impression, this stout bird is unassuming in its black, chestnut, and white plumage. But don’t let this deceive you. The Dipper is one of the coolest residents of the British Isles (objectively). Getting its name from its constant bobbing motion while stationary, what makes the Dipper so cool is its feeding technique. At a mere 18cm of length, this bird will wade and dive into the torrents of our rivers in search of underwater invertebrates, helped by its reasonable weight of 60 grams or so. Dippers are well adapted to an aquatic life, both being able to swim and walk on riverbeds. They are also able to see underwater with an extra transparent eyelid called a nictating membrane.
The Dipper is one of the coolest residents of the British Isles
The Dipper’s diet mostly consists of caddisfly and stonefly larvae, the former of which makes a really funky home for itself by using silk to spin river sediment into a casing. Since these species are particularly susceptible to fluctuations in population due to water quality, Dippers are a great indicator species for healthy rivers as they require a reasonable quantity of these insects to sustain themselves.
Dippers are a great indicator species for healthy rivers
Dippers aren’t of conservation concern internationally but do fall onto the IUCN Amber List due to a 50% population decrease between 1995 and 2022. They are also quite hard to find due to their size and specific habitat requirements. However, their white bib and bobbing motion make identification simple. Strangely enough, having tried my luck to find one at various sites renowned for their Dipper presence, I saw my first pair of Dippers just above the weir at Mill on the Exe while walking along the main road. It was a great sighting and may indicate promising health for the Exe.
