Help with Dipper behaviour- Dodder river in Ireland (1 Viewer)

[keps]

I did search under the term 'behaviour' before I posted here - but came up blank.
Anyway, this is a question with regards to the ID of the gender of Dippers
I live along the River and had noticed a pair of Dippers seemingly coexisting in'harmony' for the last 10 days or so.
Of course, I have no idea if these 2 are the same birds but today both were diving and retrieveng their Caddis Fly Larvae- when matters seem to take a turn for the worse?

I will attach these files as i think it's easier- following the last pic- the 'subdued' Dipper flew away! I'm guessing this is male territory issue?

 

[KC Foggin]

Not sure if you've seen this particular page but try this one:

Length of Wing, Bill, and Tarsus as a Character of Sex in the Dipper Cinclus cinclus on JSTOR

J. Sune Andersson, Stig A. L. Wester, Length of Wing, Bill, and Tarsus as a Character of Sex in the Dipper Cinclus cinclus, Ornis Scandinavica (Scandinavian Journal of Ornithology), Vol. 2, No. 1 (1971), pp. 75-79

www.jstor.org

 

[keps]

Not sure if you've seen this particular page but try this one:

Length of Wing, Bill, and Tarsus as a Character of Sex in the Dipper Cinclus cinclus on JSTOR

J. Sune Andersson, Stig A. L. Wester, Length of Wing, Bill, and Tarsus as a Character of Sex in the Dipper Cinclus cinclus, Ornis Scandinavica (Scandinavian Journal of Ornithology), Vol. 2, No. 1 (1971), pp. 75-79

www.jstor.org

Many thanks - will do. But do you think in the series of 6 photos above that this is a male territory thing?

 

[KC Foggin]

That I can't tell you as I have yet to see one and do some studying.

From looking at your pics, to me, it appears that the Dipper on the right in each image appears to be the male

 

[keps]

That I can't tell you as I have yet to see one and do some studying.

From looking at your pics, to me, it appears that the Dipper on the right in each image appears to be the male

I agree- but I doubt then that he'd be trying to scare a female away -and I believe the males are fiercely terrtorial so I'm guessing they are both male- but GUESSING is the operative word - so that's why I come here for hepl!

 

[KC Foggin]

Could very well be Keps. Someone, I'm sure, will be by shortly.

 

[dantheman]

Just an idea - Dippers are early breeders, so there is possibly a pair on territory already and the bird on the left is an interloper - a younger unmated bird.

 

[Butty]

I think this may well just be sex rearing its ugly head . . .

 

[keps]

Just an idea - Dippers are early breeders, so there is possibly a pair on territory already and the bird on the left is an interloper - a younger unmated bird.

For my observations - I think that's the most likely

 

[Muso]

Not an expert by any means, but observed quite a few dippers over the years, and suspect you would immediately know if this was a territorial thing - dippers take no prisoners...! Here's 2 males having at it on Arran, and the aggression did not stop until one had exited stage left. One pursued the other, completely ignoring me (and even flying under the small wooden bridge I was standing on) both landing in the water several times, and really having at it while in the water. All out war. Yours look dainty in comparison to what I saw.

 

[rosbifs]

Dippers, round here, tend to share the rivers in winter and then pair up very early in spring. Here they move down the mountains to the valleys - can easily have double figures in a short stretch of water.

Birds are already nesting here so either of the above suggestions are possible - a male getting frisky or defending his boundaries...

 

[keps]

Not an expert by any means, but observed quite a few dippers over the years, and suspect you would immediately know if this was a territorial thing - dippers take no prisoners...! Here's 2 males having at it on Arran, and the aggression did not stop until one had exited stage left. One pursued the other, completely ignoring me (and even flying under the small wooden bridge I was standing on) both landing in the water several times, and really having at it while in the water. All out war. Yours look dainty in comparison to what I saw.

Yes indeed -here is a pic I took 2 years ago of 2 Dippers engaged in a bit of 'argy bargy'

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Could just have easily been pair bonding, with the female flying off to feed or whatever once they were done. The bird with its wings out could have been a female imitating the actions of a begging chick, not unknown in some species although I've no knowledge of whether Dippers indulge, and in the last pic is holding a food item in its beak. Could she have just been passed it by the male? I can't see it on any of the other pics, no idea if they can conceal food in their gizzards or somewhere. Just a thought. In common with other posters I think this looks too tame for Dipper aggression.

 

[keps]

Could just have easily been pair bonding, with the female flying off to feed or whatever once they were done. The bird with its wings out could have been a female imitating the actions of a begging chick, not unknown in some species although I've no knowledge of whether Dippers indulge, and in the last pic is holding a food item in its beak. Could she have just been passed it by the male? I can't see it on any of the other pics, no idea if they can conceal food in their gizzards or somewhere. Just a thought. In common with other posters I think this looks too tame for Dipper aggression.

Many thanks - that is a very helpful response