Northern shovelers

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/northern-shoveler#ad-image-0

 Northern shovelver  Anas clypeata

The northern shovelers belong to the Anatidae family.

They have a extended and spoon shaped bill. 

The duck is found on the wetlands. The adults have a dark green head, the body is brown and white. They are three inches in length. The bill has special lamellae which act like a sieve to drain the water for food.

The males and females have different plumages when mating. The females head goes dark green and shiny, and the chest stays white but the back changes to black. The females goes grey all over the body and the bill is a light green and yellow. 

They feed on seeds and invertebrates. 

Once they have found a mate, they stay together.  In courtship the males are vocalmand performs tricks in the water. The breed in wide wetlands. The nests are built by the females and the males. The females lays they eggs, a away she protects her eggs is to poo on them. 






Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Northern Shoveler. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shoveler/id [Accessed 15 Apr. 2015].