And The Toughest Animal In The World Is.......

Every now and then someone will ask me either what my favorite animal is or what I think the toughest animal in the world is. Asking a naturalist this is a kin to asking a mother to pick a favorite child.   However the more I learn about this little bird the more impressed I am and it may be making the list of my top 10 coolest animals ever.

Standing a whopping 6-8 inches tall and weighing not much more than 1.5-2.4 ounces is the American dipper. 

 

 

 

This little pint sized song bird spends a lot of it time under water looking for aquatic insects.  Not just any old kind of water FAST moving water.  (Think of a human trying to stand up in some super heavy whitewater while trying to grab a cheeseburger off the bottom.)  To accomplish this herculean feat they have mighty long toes with some sizable toenails which allow them to grip rocks and pebbles underneath the water allowing them to walk along the bottom.  They  also have their own built in goggles called a nictating membrane which helps to protect their eyes from floating debris. Probably the most important adaptation is the extra-large preen gland which secrets oil to help waterproof their feathers.  Dippers can often be seen standing on rocks bobbing up and down. Scientists really don’t know why they bob up and down it may help them to see well.

 

 

Also these little birds are members of the polar bear club.  Then the weather starts getting colder and the rivers and streams they feed in start to freeze to they head for warmer climates.

 

Nope they just head for the nearest free flowing steam and plunge right in for a snack! 

This might just be the toughest animal anywhere!


Dippers can often be seen standing on rocks bobbing up and down. Scientists really don’t know why they bob up and down it may help them to see well. They are well   Dippers are active in this area even in winter seeking out streams which are not frozen. anding a