Northern shovelers are one of the earliest winter ducks to arrive in the Chesapeake Bay region and one of the last to leave. (Hans Olofsson/Flickr)
Also known as the spoonbill, the northern shoveler is a medium-sized dabbling duck with a distinctive shovel- or spoon-shaped bill, which it uses to separate particles of food from the water.
Appearance:
Large shovel- or spoon-shaped bill is twice as wide at its tip than at its base, and equipped with a row of bristles or comb-like structures used to filter food from the water
Males and females have different patterns and coloring
Drake (male): iridescent green head, white breast, chestnut-brown flanks, black back. Bill is dark gray or black. Eyes yellow. Wingspan around 31 inches
Female: mottled buffs and browns. Bill is grayish yellow marked with orange on edges
Both sexes: pale blue patches on inner forewings, orange legs and feet
Immature ducks and non-breeding males resemble adult female in appearance, although non-breeding males can often be identified by a white streak located behind bill
Habitat:
Found in open, shallow wetlands across much of North America
Favor freshwater marshes, ponds and swamps and, in winter, salt bays
Range:
Found in late fall and winter on Chesapeake Bay's Eastern Shore and, from time to time, in upper Potomac River near Washington, D.C.
Broad geographical range extends south into Central America and overseas into Europe and Asia
Feeding:
Omnivorous, feeding on crustaceans, mollusks, small minnows, insects and their larvae, seeds and aquatic plants
Forage in shallow water over mud bottoms, swimming along with bill lowered. Must push water and mud through closed bill's filtering bristles before food can be eaten
Social feeding is common. Shovelers are drawn to feeding areas by other birds, and will take advantage of food particles that other swimming or wading birds have churned to the water's surface
Single birds may swim in tight circles to create whirlpools and stir up particles of food
Predators:
Common waterfowl predators in North America include red fox, raccoon, owls, hawks, large gulls, mink, weasels, skunks, coyotes and crows
Flight:
Strong and direct fliers
When alarmed, will twist and turn, revealing pale blue patches on inner forewings
Voice:
Male: a low took, took, took
Female: a light quack
Northern Shoveler courtesy of Pamela C. Rasmussen/Avian Vocalizations Center
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
Breeding takes place in spring
Males exhibit elaborate courtship behavior, including various calls, turns, dips and wing flaps
Nests constructed on dry land close to fresh water, often surrounded on at least three sides by vegetation. Female forms neat cup by twisting her body on the ground. Nest built of grasses and lined with female's down feathers
Female lays between 8 and 12 pale greenish gray or olive-colored eggs
Incubation by female alone begins once all eggs are laid and lasts 23 to 25 days
Young start following female almost immediately after hatching. Can fly after 40 to 45 days, after which birds are independent
Other Facts:
During the heat of the day, northern shovelers often rest on mud next to the water
Pairs are monogamous, remaining together longer than pairs of other dabbling duck species
When flushed off nest, female often defecates on eggs, apparently to deter predators
Ducklings hatch with typical duck bill that enlarges as duckling matures
A game bird, northern shovelers are often shot by hunters because of their resemblance to mallards
