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THE DIPPER FAMILY 
(Cinclide) 3 
THERE is only one member of this family in 
the United States, and that one lives in the 
Rocky Mountains and the mountains of Califor- 
nia. It is the AMERICAN DippER, or WATER 
OUZEL. 
The body of the ouzel is about as big asa 
robin’s, but looks much smaller, because his very 
short tail gives him a “chunky” look. His 
wings are short and rounded, and his plumage is 
very soft and so thick that he can go under 
water without getting wet. He is slate-color all 
over, a little paler on the breast, and his mate is 
exactly like him, but the young ouzel has all 
the under feathers tipped with white, and usually 
a white throat. Both old and young have shin- 
ing white eyelids which show very plainly among 
their dark feathers. 
The dipper is a water lover. The nest is 
1 See Appendix, 6. 
