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Northern ShovelerAlternate name(s): "Northern Shoveller", "Shoveler" ![]() Size: 44-52 cm; wing span 73-82 cm Weight: 400-680 g |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a male Northern Shoveler starting to
moult out of breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire,
England, September 2019]
Near-lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, January 2020]
Close-up lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler in breeding
plumage
stretching a wing
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, January 2020]
Lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, February 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a male Northern Shoveler in breeding
plumage;
depending on the angle of incoming light the head can
look dark-blue, rather than greyish-green
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, February 2021]
Two male Northern Shovelers in breeding
plumage -
note that one male's head looks blacker than the other's
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]
Two male Northern Shovelers in breeding
plumage;
here one (the one with the blackish head) is stretching
its wings, in the process exhibiting its underwing pattern
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]
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NON-BREEDING |
Lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler moulting into non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Marim, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]
Lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler in non-breeding
plumage;
depending on the angle of incoming light the head can
look dark-blue, rather than greyish-green
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Brito, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2021]
Lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler in non-breeding
plumage
on the point of take-off
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salitas do Brito, Alcochete, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]
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FEMALE |
Lateral view of a female Northern Shoveler
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]
Female Northern Shoveler taking off, centre, with another female
on the right and a male in breeding
plumage on the left
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, March 2015]
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PAIR |
Lateral view of a pair of Northern Shovelers; female on the
left, male in breeding
plumage
on the right
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, February 2018]
Lateral view of a pair of Northern Shovelers, male in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, February 2021]
Pair of Northern Shovelers landing; male in breeding
plumage on the left,
female on the right
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, January 2018]
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Behaviour |
In their winter quarters Northern Shovelers can form substantial flocks.
Lateral view of a group of Northern Shovelers in flight;
males in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2019]
Flock of Northern Shovelers in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2015]