Northern Shoveler

Key Facts

Family: Anatidae

Biometrics:
Length: 48 cm, Weight: 600 g, Wingspan: 76 cm

Range:
Native of Europe, Asia and North America, breed in these regions but come winter and they winter in southern Europe, Africa, America, the Indian subcontinent, Southwest Asia, Central and South America. The marshlands of northern India see a pronounced number of these migratory birds every winter.

Habitat:
Breed in freshwater marshes, ponds and lakes with emergent and fringing vegetation and muddy margins. Found in prairies and tundra, usually close to shallow water. On migration and during winter, seen on open lakes, fresh marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons, shallow waters with muddy margins and even stagnant and polluted waters, neglected by other duck species