Northern Shoveler

À propos

A medium-sized duck with a dramatically large spatula-shaped bill perfectly adapted for filter-feeding. Males have an iridescent green head, white breast, chestnut flanks, and sky-blue wing patches. Highly migratory; one of the Northern Hemisphere's most widespread ducks.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Envergure	45,3 cm	17.8 in
Poids	631,5 g	22.28 oz

Identification

Plumage

Breeding males have iridescent green head, white breast, and rufous-chestnut flanks. Yellow eye. Pale blue forewing and green speculum. Females mottled brown. Massive spatulate bill unique among ducks. Dimorphic.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on freshwater prairie ponds, marshes, and lake margins across Eurasia and North America. Winters on coastal lagoons, estuaries, freshwater lakes, and rice paddies in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.

🌿 Wetland 🌾 Grassland 🏖️ Coastal

Répartition géographique

Breeds across sub-Arctic and boreal Eurasia; winters from the British Isles to China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

Diet & Feeding

Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in wetlands; broadly omnivorous diet shifts with season and breeding.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Comportement et reproduction

Nidification

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 22-27 days. Fledging: 36-66 days.

Taille de la couvée

5-14

Son

Chant

Male gives a low, hollow took-took call; female produces a laughing, descending quacking series. Courtship includes head-bobbing displays accompanied by quiet nasal grunting calls.

Taxonomie

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Ordre	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Famille	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Spatula
Espèces	Spatula clypeata

Distribution

Northern Shoveler has been recorded in 7 countries.

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Présent Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇻🇪 Venezuela

External Databases

Foire aux questions

What does the Northern Shoveler eat?

Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in wetlands; broadly omnivorous diet shifts with season and breeding.

Where does the Northern Shoveler live?

Breeds on freshwater prairie ponds, marshes, and lake margins across Eurasia and North America. Winters on coastal lagoons, estuaries, freshwater lakes, and rice paddies in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.

Is the Northern Shoveler endangered?

The Northern Shoveler has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Northern Shoveler nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 22-27 days. Fledging: 36-66 days.

What does the Northern Shoveler sound like?

Male gives a low, hollow took-took call; female produces a laughing, descending quacking series. Courtship includes head-bobbing displays accompanied by quiet nasal grunting calls.

How big is the Northern Shoveler?

The Northern Shoveler has a wingspan of 45.3 cm, weight of 631.5 g.

What order and family does the Northern Shoveler belong to?

The Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.