As anyone who has tried to hold a conversation in a noisy room knows, it is sometimes easier to rely on hand gestures than to shout over the din. White-throated dippers face a similar challenge along the fast-flowing streams they inhabit, where the roar of fast-flowing waters can sometimes drown out their melodic songs. Rather than trying to out-sing the river to defend territory or attract mates, these plump, endearing birds sometimes switch strategy entirely—turning to sight instead of sound, by flashing their bright white eyelids in a striking visual display.