Northern Shoveler
| Category | Fact |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas clypeata |
| Wing spread | 31 inches |
| Body length | 19 inches |
| Weight | 1.5 pounds |
| Description | Shovelers are a medium-sized duck with a distinctive large bill. From late fall through spring,males have a glossy green head, white chest and chestnut sides. Females are a drab brownish gray. Both sexes have a blue wing patch, and glossy green speculum with white bars. Its wings are identical to blue-winged teal, except larger. |
| Nesting Habitat | Typically nests in tall undisturbed grass cover. |
| Clutch size | 10 eggs |
| Incubation period | 24 days |
| Status in North Dakota | The northern shoveler is common during migration and nesting seasons in North Dakota. |
| Food habits | Shovelers feed on plankton, fingernail clams and aquatic insects. |
| Fun Facts | Shovelers have the most unusual feeding habits of any duck. At times, tight groups of several dozen birds will rotate in a pinwheel fashion, stirring up the surface water. |