3IO THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



SHOVELER 



Spatula clypeata {LintKsus) 



This bird is principally an autumn visitor with us, when large 

 numbers come over from abroad, but a few are always found 

 in the nesting season breeding with us. It is essentially an 

 inland species, preferring small and sheltered pieces of water 

 rather than wide open stretches. Its distinguishing feature is 

 the large flattened bill. It feeds on the surface-swimming 

 animalculae and insects. The broad lamellae of the man- 

 dibles form an efficient strainer. When feeding three or 

 four will often follow each other in a circle, each feeding 

 in the other's wake. It has become more numerous recently 

 as a breeding bird, and it now nests commonly in the Broads 

 and other districts of Norfolk and the eastern counties. In 

 Kent and the Midlands, Yorkshire and the north it nests 

 sparingly, as well as in some of the southern and eastern 

 counties of Scotland. In Ireland it is a local but by no means 

 rare species. Except in the breeding season it is a very silent 

 bird ; when courting it moves its head up and down, uttering a 

 low "took, took," which is answered by the female. The 

 nest is generally placed at some distance from the water 

 in the middle of a dry grass field, where there is hardly 

 any cover beyond a small patch of grass more luxuriant 

 than the rest. 



During the summer the Drake assumes an "eclipse" 

 plumage, which somewhat resembles that of the Duck. In 

 October he begins, unlike most other species, to assume an 

 "intermediate" plumage, in which the head is very dark but 

 not metallic, and the white of the breast is hidden by dark 

 transverse bars. He does not assume his full plumage till 

 the end of February or early in March. 



In these isles our breeding birds are practically resident, 

 and are only driven from their nesting-quarters by frost. The 



