Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

A medium sized duck, the northern shoveler is a swift flyer that often twists and turns like a teal. Because one-third of their diet is animal matter (macroinvertebrates), shovelers are often not considered particularly good table fair. However, in many areas such as the rice prairies of east-central Arkansas, Texas and California shoveler diets include waste rice and their quality as table fair is on par with other dabbling ducks. 

There common nickname is spoonbill–a descriptive name referring to the large, spatulate bill. This bill is almost 1.5 inches wide at the tip, and is a highly refined adaptation that allows shovelers to strain microscopic foods from the water. The comb like structures called “lamellae” allow shovelers to utilize foods that most other ducks cannot access.

Lamellae are a fascinating adaptation of the waterfowl bill. These small, comb-like structures along the inside of the bill act like sieves, look like teeth, even though ducks and geese don’t chew food. When ducks are searching for food, nonfood items such as mud and water can be expelled while seeds, bugs or other food items are retained by the lamellae.

Other than the bill, the hen shoveler resembles other mottled brown dabbling duck hens, as do drakes in eclipse plumage and immatures. One of the last ducks to obtain nuptial plumage, the shoveler male does not don his gaudy breeding colors until winter, long after most dabblers obtain their breeding colors. When in his nuptial (breeding) plumage, the drake has a brilliant green head, a white breast, and chestnut sides. Both sexes have a pale blue patch on the forewing, similar to that of the blue-winged teal, though the drake’s is brighter and larger than that of the shoveler hen. The male’s speculum is large and iridescent green. The drake’s bill is black, while the hen’s bill is olive-green, with fleshy-orange in the gape area, and speckled with black dots. Both have orange legs.

Drakes call who-who and took-took, while the hens have a feeble and raspy mallard-like quack.

In North America, the northern shoveler is found in the largest numbers in the Prairie Pothole Region, followed by the parkland areas and short-grass prairies.

Shovelers are late nesters, often arriving on the breeding grounds well after mallards and pintail. Nesting is typically initiated in mid-May and most shoveler nests will have hatched by the end of June, however, nests from late-nesting hens or as the result of renesting attempts will continue to hatch through the end of July.

In 2006, northern shovelers (3.7 ± 0.2 million) were 69% above their long-term average.

Northern shoveler breeding population estimates, 95% confidence intervals, and North American Waterfowl Management Plan population goal (dashed line) for selected species in the traditional survey area (strata 1-18, 20-50, 75-77).


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