Northern Shoveler
Scientific name: Anas clypeata
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Class: Aves
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The Northern Shoveler is named for its distinct large "spoon" shaped bill. The male shoveler has greenish feathers on the head and neck, the breast and belly are white, the back is black and white, and the wings have a chestnut hue, with the inner wings being bluish. The female's belly and breast are white, the body is a brownish color, and the inner wings are bluish. The wing span of a male Northern Shoveler is nine to ten inches; and the weight is 17 to 35 ounces. A female's wing span is 8.5 to 9/5 inches and she weighs 17 to 28 ounces.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:
The distribution of the Northern Shoveler during breeding season is across Northern America, Europe, and Northern Asia. In the winter they migrate to South America, North Africa, and Southern Asia. Northern Shovelers prefer shallow saltwater or freshwater wetlands like marshes, swamps, lakes, and lagoons.
BEHAVIOR:
The Northern Shoveler is not aggressive. They can get along with other dabbling ducks, diving ducks, whistling ducks and shelducks. During nesting season the male shoveler does get defensive towards other species of ducks that get too close to its territory.
DIET:
Their diet includes plankton, water insects, and snails. The bill of the Northern Shoveler has hair like lamellae that filter the water and capture the small plankton.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:
The female may lay six to twelve eggs. The eggs are incubated for 23 to 25 days. At hatching, the bill is not shaped as a spoon or spatula. As the young ducklings grow and mature their bill will take the characteristic adult shape.
CONSERVATION STATUS:
The Northern Shoveler population status is stable. But, deforestation and agricultural development has the shovelers migrating further east in North America. The Northern Shoveler is very similar in characteristics to the Mallard; so much so that many hunters shoot the Northern Shovelers mistaking them for Mallards.
Wild Population:
Suggested Reading:
The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North America, Terres, J. K.
Winter Feeding Ecology of Northern Shovelers on Freshwater and Saline Wetlands in South Texas, Tietje, W.D. & J.G. Teer, J. Wildlife Management 80(4):843-855, 1996.
North American Wildlife, Wernert, S. J. (ed.), Reader's Digest.
Encyclopedia of Animals: A Visual Who's Who of the World's Creatures, Whitfield, P. (ed.), Simon and Schuster.
(Mahalo to Leeward Community College's Zoology 101 Class for their contribution)
