tesletledi

In the super cold weather we've been having the last few weeks, I've been going for walks on the Nizina River, and I am often impressed to see these little black birds jumping in and out of the open water. Tesletledi, also called a water ouzel or an American dipper, has a very low metabolic rate, extra-thick feathers (including on their eyelids), and extra oxygen-carrying capacity in their blood to help them stay warm in the winter. 

 

In Ahtna:

tesletledi, pronounced "tess-el-kled-ee", Cinclus mexicanus