For this December Sunday, I want to tell you about my favourite bird that also happens to be the national bird of Norway – the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus, fossekall på norsk). These lovely little dippers can be found in Oslo as well, and I had a pleasure encountering one of them a couple of weeks ago. If one takes a walk along the Akerselva river, specifically north from Nydalen, dippers can be seen performing their signature quick dips from little rocks in the river. Personally, this dipping behaviour is what first made me fall in love with these quirky little birds.
The white-throated dipper is an aquatic passerine bird that can be found near swiftly running rivers and streams in Europe, Middle East, and Central Asia. There are 14 subspecies and the one found in Norway is specifically the Northern white-throated dipper. They are cutely round shaped, medium sized passerines with approximatale 18 cm in length and weighting 55-75 g, with short perky tails. They are mostly brown with blackish back and their signature white throat and chest.
Dippers have peculiar ways to move and forage. They can walk under water to hunt insects and “fly” under water using their wings. They are also not afraid of cold and overwinter here dipping from the edges of ice, as seen in the cover photo of this post. Dippers nest near the water bodies they forage in and typically lay 4-5 white eggs. As both parents participate in the rearing of the chicks, they can rear two broods in one season. Also the little fledgelings can dive almost immediately after hatching. It is their way of escaping predators and here the nest built above water becomes particularily handy.
The dippers are such a joy to watch, especially now during this dark season when not so many other birds are present here in the north. If you haven’t seen them yet, may this post be an encouragement for you to take a nice walk out in the fresh air along the river and look for a brown-white little short tailed fearther ball of joy. I promise you, you won’t be disappionted!
All photos by Laima Bagdonaite
