Northern Shoveler

Anas clypeataOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Codes: Common Name: NSHO Scientific Name: ANACLY ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175096

Breeding Location:

Open landscapes, Grassland with scattered trees, Marshes, freshwater, Swamps

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Common to abundant

Egg Color:

Olive buff or green gray

Number of Eggs:

6 - 19

Incubation Days:

21 - 27

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Grasses and weeds lined with down.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Northern Shoveler: Medium-sized dabbling duck with a white breast, white-bordered black back, and rufous-brown underparts and sides. Head and neck are iridescent green, large bill is black and eyes are pale yellow. Wings have large, pale blue shoulder patches, white bars, and green speculum. Legs and feet are orange. Eclipse male is duller and heavily mottled, has reduced green on head and neck, and dark-saddled orange bill. Female resembles small Mallard hen with oversized bill and orange eyes. Juvenile is similar to female but has gray saddle on bill and dark eyes.

Range and Habitat

Northern Shoveler: Breeds from Alaska and northern Manitoba south to California, Nebraska, and Wisconsin; local and uncommon in the Great Lakes area and the northeast. Spends winters from Oregon across the southern half of the U.S. to the Gulf Coast, north to New Jersey, and south to Central America. Preferred habitats include marshes and prairie potholes; sometimes found on salt or brackish marshes.

Breeding and Nesting

Northern Shoveler: Six to nineteen olive buff or green gray eggs are laid in a down-lined cup of grass concealed in vegetation, often far from water. Incubation ranges from 21 to 27 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Northern Shoveler: Feeds on tiny crustaceans, mollusks, insects, seeds, fish, and aquatic vegetation; forages by dabbling in shallow water.

Vocalization

Northern Shoveler: Makes a low croak, cluck, or quack. In courtship, utters a guttural "who, who, who" or "took, took, took."

Similar Species

Northern Shoveler: Mallard has smaller bill, and chestnut-brown breast, and lacks blue shoulder patch. Blue-winged Teal is smaller, has brown body and gray head, and white crescent on face.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler: Medium dabbling duck. White breast, white-bordered black back, rufous-brown underparts and sides. Head and neck are iridescent green, large bill is black and eyes are yellow. Wings have large, pale blue shoulder patches, white bars, green speculum. Legs and feet are orange.

● Song: "who, who, who", "took, took, took"

● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Shoveler: Feeds on tiny crustaceans, mollusks, insects, seeds, fish, and aquatic vegetation; forages by dabbling in shallow water.

● Breeding & nesting: Northern Shoveler: Six to nineteen olive buff or green gray eggs are laid in a down-lined cup of grass concealed in vegetation, often far from water. Incubation ranges from 21 to 27 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Northern Shoveler: Mallard has smaller bill, and chestnut-brown breast, and lacks blue shoulder patch. Blue-winged Teal is smaller, has brown body and gray head, and white crescent on face.

Flight Pattern

Strong direct flight with powerful rapid wing beats.

Northern Shoveler Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Northern Shoveler: Breeds from Alaska and northern Manitoba south to California, Nebraska, and Wisconsin; local and uncommon in the Great Lakes area and the northeast. Spends winters from Oregon across the southern half of the U.S. to the Gulf Coast, north to New Jersey, and south to Central America. Preferred habitats include marshes and prairie potholes; sometimes found on salt or brackish marshes.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon to abundant

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight22.4 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Shoulder

The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the back and can be seen as the “first row” of feathers on the birds wing. They are also called marginal coverts and lesser secondary coverts.

Speculum

The brightly colored area on the wing (secondaries of the wing) on several duck species.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America