American dippers are small gray birds that live their whole lives near (and in!) fast-moving mountain streams. Charming and unique in their habits, dippers were John Muir's favorite bird (he called them 'water ouzels'). This nonfiction book -- brimming with full-color illustrations, detailed sketches, lively verse, and light humor -- takes readers to a rendezvous with a winged creature they might easily see on a stream-side ramble throughout western North America. Readers will discover what these curious little birds eat, how they find their food, where they nest, what their chicks are like, where they go in winter, and much more. A section at the end provides a wealth of additional information making this book a fantastic resource for junior naturalists, educators, bird enthusiasts, visitors to national parks, and anyone interested in how field biologists perform their work.