Australasian Shoveler

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A medium-sized shoveler with the distinctive large bill. Males are brownish with blue-grey wing patches and white facial crescent; females are mottled brown. Found in Australia and New Zealand. Nomadic within Australia; follows seasonal inland flooding.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Envergadura	44,8 cm	17.6 in
Peso	678,0 g	23.92 oz

Identificación

Plumaje

Males have slate-blue head with white crescent before eye; rich rufous-brown below with white breast spot. Blue forewing and green speculum. Females mottled brown. Long spatulate bill bluish-gray. Dimorphic.

Habitat & Range

Freshwater and brackish wetlands, lakes, and marshes across southern and eastern Australia and New Zealand. Nomadic in Australia; follows seasonal flooding. Often on permanent lakes and coastal lagoons.

🏖️ Costero 🌿 Humedal

Distribución geográfica

Breeds in central Asia; winters mainly in South and Southeast Asia, with some birds reaching eastern Africa.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; dabbles in shallow freshwater; diet seasonally variable.

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Comportamiento y reproducción

Nidificación

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 24-26 days. Fledging: 56-70 days.

Tamaño de la puesta

5-13

Sonido

Canto

Male emits a soft, muffled tok; female gives a series of rapid, descending quacks. The female's characteristic quacking laugh is similar to the Northern Shoveler but slightly lower pitched.

Taxonomía

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Orden	Anseriformes (Aves Acuáticas)
Familia	Anatidae (Patos, Gansos y Cisnes)
Genus	Spatula
Especies	Spatula rhynchotis

Distribution

Australasian Shoveler has been recorded in 2 countries.

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Presente Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Bélgica 🇳🇴 Noruega

External Databases

Preguntas frecuentes

What does the Australasian Shoveler eat?

Feeds on aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; dabbles in shallow freshwater; diet seasonally variable.

Where does the Australasian Shoveler live?

Freshwater and brackish wetlands, lakes, and marshes across southern and eastern Australia and New Zealand. Nomadic in Australia; follows seasonal flooding. Often on permanent lakes and coastal lagoons.

Is the Australasian Shoveler endangered?

The Australasian Shoveler has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Australasian Shoveler nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 24-26 days. Fledging: 56-70 days.

What does the Australasian Shoveler sound like?

Male emits a soft, muffled tok; female gives a series of rapid, descending quacks. The female's characteristic quacking laugh is similar to the Northern Shoveler but slightly lower pitched.

How big is the Australasian Shoveler?

The Australasian Shoveler has a wingspan of 44.8 cm, weight of 678.0 g.

What order and family does the Australasian Shoveler belong to?

The Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.