Northern Shoveler Identification
Its scientific name is 'Spatula clypeata', from the Anatidae family (order Anseriformes)
What I look like
The Northern Shoveler is slightly smaller than the Mallard.
It is easily recognized by its large, broad bill at the tip.
In breeding plumage, the male has a bottle-green head, a black bill, and yellow eyes...
From a distance, its head appears black...
Its chest is white, the belly and flanks are reddish-brown, and its back and tail are black and white.
In flight, you notice a large blue patch (gray in the female) on the front of the wings and a green speculum near a white area.
The female resembles the female Mallard with a different shaped gray-brown bill, a darker belly, and a visible green speculum in flight.
The male in eclipse looks like the female, but its head is darker and its eyes are light. Its flanks are more rusty.
The juveniles resemble the female but have a darker cap and back of the neck.
My songs, my calls
The Northern Shoveler is generally silent. It is heard only in the spring.
The males make "rro rro touk touk" sounds when they leap to fly off to attract the females.
The females emit "gack gack" sounds. Here, you can hear the females followed by the males ("rro touk") at the end of the recording.
How I behave
When flying or swimming, the Northern Shoveler seems to lean forward.
It is often seen in pairs or in small groups.
At rest, it tucks its head into its feathers.
How I reproduce
Unlike other dabbling ducks, the Northern Shoveler is highly territorial and actively defends the breeding area of the pair, even after laying eggs.
This behavior may be related to its feeding method which requires a lot of time and space.
The nest is built on the ground, near water, often lined with down by the female.
What I eat
The Northern Shoveler has the most specialized bill among ducks for filtering food.
By sweeping its bill from side to side in the water, it sieves particles and expels the water to the sides.
Thus, it feeds on plants, small aquatic animals (mollusks, crustaceans), and also plankton.
Where to find me
The Northern Shoveler lives on lakes, marshy ponds with dense vegetation, and in marshes.
It is migratory. It migrates at the first sign of frost to temperate regions in Western Europe, or warm areas as far as tropical Africa.
Some resident populations are found in Western Europe.
It can live up to about twenty-one years.