This species, which is not often seen, is found at medium to low elevations where mountain streams flow.

The brown dipper was described by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1820 and given the binomial name Cinclus pallasii.

[4] The specific epithet pallasii was chosen in honour of the Prussian naturalist Peter Simon Pallas (1741–1811).

The adults will dive for food from December through April, which is when there are more large benthic organisms.

[8] One small population wintering at a hot spring in Suntar-Khayata Mountains of Siberia feeds underwater when air temperatures drop below -55 C.[9] Following typhoons, brown dippers in upland Taiwanese streams are displaced by flooding into relatively poorer quality streams that likely act as an important refuge.