CRCritically Endangered

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

01Classification

Taxonomy & Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Cinclidae

Genus

Cinclus

White-throated Dipper belongs to the family Cinclidae, order Passeriformes, within the Aves class.

02Description

Species Profile

Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The White-throated Dipper faces severe threats from water pollution, habitat degradation, and climate change impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Industrial runoff, agricultural chemicals, and urban development have contaminated and altered the clean, fast-flowing streams essential for this species' survival. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority, but declining water quality and stream modification represent critical threats across much of its range.

Key Facts

IUCN StatusCritically Endangered (CR)
GroupBirds
03Habitat

Habitat & Distribution

Fast-flowing, clear mountain streams, rivers, and rocky watercourses with abundant invertebrate prey, typically in upland and mountainous regions. Requires clean, well-oxygenated water with rocky substrates and overhanging banks or rock crevices for nesting.

FRESHWATERMajorTERRESTRIALMajor
04Threats

Threats

!

IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

The White-throated Dipper faces severe threats from water pollution, habitat degradation, and climate change impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Industrial runoff, agricultural chemicals, and urban development have contaminated and altered the clean, fast-flowing streams essential for this species' survival. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority, but declining water quality and stream modification represent critical threats across much of its range.

Acidification of waterways

HighOngoing

Climate change altering water flow patterns

HighOngoing

Dam construction and river regulation

HighOngoing

Stream habitat modification and channelization

HighOngoing

Water pollution from industrial and agricultural sources

HighOngoing
07National Status

National vs Global Threat Status

How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).

CountryNational StatusGlobal StatusComparison
EULCLeast ConcernCRCritically EndangeredLower local risk
EULCLeast ConcernCRCritically EndangeredLower local risk

National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.

Community

Community Sightings

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07Sources

Sources & Attribution

How to Cite

IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS

GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org

National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org

This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/white-throated-dipper

Full citation guide & data usage terms