Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Northern Shoveler
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Spatula clypeata
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Voice
Call
Song
Call
How to recognize it
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Body length 44–52 cm
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Long, broad bill widening markedly toward the tip
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Breeding male: green-black head, white breast and chestnut flanks; female mottled brown
About the species
Breeding males have a glossy dark-green head, white breast, and chestnut belly and sides, set off by a broad, flat bill that widens at the tip. In flight, a pale blue patch shows on the front of the wing, edged in white beside a green panel. Females are mottled brown, with the same oversized bill, grey with an orange edge.
Usually quiet, males give a low, clunking call, while females make a quieter, rougher quack. During the breeding season, males defend their mates and territory, and may pursue a female in a group, both on the water and in flight.
Look for this duck on open wetlands—marshes, wet grasslands, and lakes with some emergent plants. It sweeps its wide bill from side to side to strain tiny crustaceans, insects, and plant food from the water. It breeds across much of northern Eurasia and North America, then moves south for winter.
Where to find
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At a shallow, open lake with aquatic plants, look for Northern Shovelers sweeping their broad bills from side to side across the surface to strain food.
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On muddy marshes, watch a feeding group circle in place, stirring up a whirlpool to bring food up from below.
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In winter, scan shallow water along tidal shores or at estuaries for small groups filtering food from the surface.
