White-bellied Dipper Cinclus cinclus leucogaster

The White-bellied Dipper is a subspecies of the European or White-throated Dipper and has similar dipping habits. Instead of a white chest it has a full white underside.

Its range along fast moving streams and rivers of the Himalayan foothills overlaps with that of the Brown Dipper and the two frequent the same stretches of water.

These photos of the Dipper in icy water were taken in Kazakhstan by Alexandra Makhnina.

It can swim well under water against strong mountain currents using its short wings. It looks totally dry as it emerges from the water.