Northern Shoveler

Description: The northern shoveler has a large, spoon shaped bill, which is its most visible characteristic. The bill gets wider towards the tip which is a trait unlike other duck species in North America. The male northern shoveler has an iridescent green neck and head with a white colored chest with nutmeg colored stomach and sides. They also have a white stripe that runs from the breast down the sides of a grayish to brown back with white sides. On the wings there is a gray to blue area that is separated from the bright green speculum by white striped feathers. The bill is black and the legs and feet are yellow or orange. Female norther shovelers have a lighter brown head with a dark crown on the top of their head and a brown with spotted body. The tops of the wings have gray to blue areas and white feathers as well, with most of the wings being brown with a green tint. The bill of the female is dull green with an orange area where it connects to the head.

Breeding: Northern shovelers will breed primarily in grasslands and prairie lands of central US states and Canadian provinces. They inhabit shallow marshes or bogs that have a soft mud bottom and eat all sorts of invertebrates. Nests are usually built on the ground in grassy areas that don’t have trees nearby, usually away from open water rivers or lakes. The female will usually lay about 9 eggs.

Migrating and Wintering: Northern shovelers will travel from prairie states using the Pacific or Central flyways. Much of the population will hold up in the Great Salt Lake, the Malheur Basin, or Carson Sink when moving. They will spend their winter months in California, Louisiana, Texas and even go down to parts of Mexico. They will spend their winter months in fresh or brackish marshes, ponds, or sloughs.

Food habits: Northern shovelers will feed by using their wide bill to sift through shallow water and the muddy bottoms. They’ll eat a variety of foods, everything from grasses and aquatic vegetation to insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates.

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