American Dipper

Can be found in fast-flowing streams in mountains along Western North America. Their call is a sharp zeet that can be heard over the noise of the rapids. Mostly live in mountainous areas where they are permanent residents and stay through the winter. They eat various kinds of aquatic insects which they catch by putting their head underwater or sometimes they’ll swim to pick up one floating on the surface. Unfortunately their numbers have declined in some areas where streams have become polluted! I found this cutie in Zion National Park in Utah, USA. I was lucky to catch it bobbing along looking for insects to eat. This was a new lifer for me!