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Northern Shoveler (Spatula [Anas] clypeata) Alternate name(s): "Northern Shoveller", "Shoveler" German name(s): "Löffelente" Size: 44-52 cm; wing span 73-82 cm Body mass: 400-680 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.89

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Northern Shovelers are medium-sized ducks. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Northern Shovelers in breeding plumage have a glossy dark-green head and neck (which in some individuals can look almost black), with a contrasting white chest and wing patch. The rest of the front and the sides are chestnut. The upperwings have light-blue panels, while the rest is mostly dark-grey to black. Undertail coverts and rump are black. The tail has a white outer edge. Females have cryptic plumage. Their front is light-brown, barred with darker grey-brown. The head is greyish-brown, with the cap darker than the sides of the head. The sides are coloured as the front, but with much bolder vermiculation (broader light-brown edge lining on the feathers) and the upperwings are equally strongly vermiculated, but dark grey-brown. The wings of females have a grey panel and the flight feathers are a darker shade of grey. Males in eclipse have an intermediate plumage that is similar to females', but still shows some signs a dark-grey and white facial mask in front of the eyes. Also the body plumage has more chestnut tints in it than a female's and the wing panels, now green, still show. Adults of both sexes have yellow irises and a massive, rather flat, bill for sieving small material from water ("dabbling"). The males' bill is dark-grey in the breeding season and lighter-grey, with an indication of an orange gape, in eclipse. Females have a bill like males in eclipse. The legs and feet are bright-orange. Juveniles are darker grey-brown, both on front and back, but otherwise resemble females. However, juveniles have dark irises whereas those of adults are yellow.

Taxonomy, classification See Northern Shoveler at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Northern Shoveler is available HERE . Northern Shovelers are a partly migratory species with a very wide-ranging distribution, spanning almost all across the northern hemisphere. They are found on all northern continents plus Iceland and Spitsbergen. In parts of their range, usually in temperate climate zones, they are permanent residents. In summer they extend their breeding range towards the Arctic circle, while in winter the migratory population retreats into subtropical and even tropical areas. The western Eurasian population spends the winters in the Mediterranean, parts of the Middle East, Asia Minor, Arabia and North and East Africa. The central Asian population winters on the Indian subcontinent, while the far-eastern Northern Shovelers winter in southern China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and the northern Philippines. The North American population winters in southern North America. In Europe Northern Shovelers are permanent residents mainly in France, the Benelux countries, Denmark and on the British Isles. There is also a permanent population along the Bosporus and the North coast of the Black Sea and on Corsica. In summer they extend their breeding range into central, eastern and south-eastern Europe, with the exception of the major river systems (Rhine, Danube, Rhone) and central to northern Scandinavia. The migratory population spends the winters in the Mediterranean countries and also all major Mediterranean islands. Northern Shovelers have a preference for open wetlands, submerged pasture and marshes.

Sightings Click here for sighting information D. Wilczynska reports spotting Northern Shovelers in wetlands along the river Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in April 2017. J. Pires reports finding Northern Shovelers semi-regularly, mostly during the winter months but sometimes also staying through the summer, in the area from the Tejo estuary to Mora, Evora, Portugal. M. Eaton reports finding a Northern Shoveler at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, in September 2019. A. Sarok spotted Northern Shovelers in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Lateral view of a pair of Northern Shovelers, male in breeding plumage in front (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, February 2021]

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]

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]

Lateral view of several pairs of Northern Shovelers, males in breeding plumage, in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas de Vasa, Sacos, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2022]

MALE

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 Pequena, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, December 2022]

Lateral view of a male Northern Shoveler in breeding plumage flapping its wings (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

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]

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]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Northern Shoveler, front, with a juvenile behind (out-of-focus) (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alverca waste water treatment plant, Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2025]

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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a female Northern Shoveler, front, with a juvenile behind (out-of-focus) (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alverca waste water treatment plant, Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2025]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Pair/flock

Northern Shovelers are found year-round only in parts of England and along the German and Benelux coastlines. Elsewhere they are migratory. 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]

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