Plate 007 · on a river boulder, with a larva IdentificationFive marks on the plate
- 1Rufous throat and breast, its only patch of colour.
- 2Slate-grey plumage dense and compact.
- 3White wing patch, shown in flight or when it flicks its wings.
- 4Short tail held cocked up.
- 5Strong pale legs to grip wet rocks.
Easily confused with White-winged CinclodesCinclodes atacamensisRufous-brown, white throat and white wing band. High-altitude streams. 007 / 100 · BIRDS · CINCLIDAEVULNERABLE Rufous-throated Dipper
Cinclus schulzii
Mirlo de agua
A songbird that lives tied to fast-flowing water. It breeds on rivers in the alder belt, between 1,500 and 2,500 m, and moves down to larger rivers when it freezes. It exists only in southern Bolivia and northwest Argentina, and Tucumán’s rivers are a key part of its range.
- Length
- c. 15 cm
- Altitude
- 800 – 2,500 m
- Breeding
- Sep – Jan
- Population
- 2,000 – 3,300 adults
- Vulnerable
- Mountain rivers
- Regional endemic
- Altitudinal migrant
Altitude rangeUp to breed, down when it freezes
Breeding (Sep–Jan)In frosts, on lower rivers Breeds in the alder (Alnus acuminata) belt, on rivers 5 to 15 m wide with cascades and boulders. During frosts it moves down to larger rivers, as low as about 800 m.
FoodWhat lives under the stones
- Aquatic larvaemayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies
- Adult insectson rocks along the bank
- Clean, oxygen-rich waterno larvae without it
Its prey live only in clean water. That makes the dipper a good indicator of river health.
BehaviourA river bird
J F M A M J J A S O N D BreedingPresent - Hops from rock to rock. Forages on boulders and in the shallow edges of the current.
- Its own stretch. Each pair defends a stretch of river and flies low over the water.
- Threatened by works. Dams, water intakes, pollution and riverside clearing all harm it.
Where to look in Tucumán- Río Los Sosa
- PN Aconquija
- Cuesta del Clavillo
- Tafí del Valle (RP 307)