The American Dipper is North America's only aquatic songbird; it lives in the rivers and streams of western North American. I have collected enough evidence that shows that banding or ringing the dipper is dangerous to its exsistence. The bands cause injury to the legs from the fast moving waters; the dipper needs all its leg strength to survive the rapid waters of the mountain rivers. This bird hunts for prey in the river and has a joy and vigour for its enviroment like no other bird. John Muir dedicated an entire chapter in one of his books to the fond memories he had of this playful little bird. The Mountains of California

Currently the Smithsonian, using thousands of taxpayer dollars, is doing a study of the dipper; they have already banded 246 dippers, in the last three years, with the intention of banding many more this year and next year. Many of these birds have already died from the bands and many more are suffering. Their lives will be cut short because of the damage the bands do to the dipper's legs. My Facebook page has many videos and pictures of the damage and harm the bands do to the American Dipper. https://www.facebook.com/OlympicDipperResearchReview

Please, help stop this terror being brought on this wonderful bird. The head of the Bird Banding Lab and the head of U.S. Fish and Wildlife has the power to stop all banding of the American Dipper. The superintendent of Olympic National Park has the power to revoke the permit to band the dipper in her park and stop the devastation of the American Dipper on the Olympic Peninsula, WA by the Smithsonian Institute and the Lower Elwha Tribe.

Visit my Facebook page to learn more about this wonderful bird. https://www.facebook.com/OlympicDipperResearchReview