SHOVELER 



Spatula clypeata 



Shoveler is somewhat sparingly distributed throughout 

 the British Islands, and although a fairly common winter 

 visitor, is only locally met with during the breeding season. 

 In the few localities in Scotland, where I have had the 

 opportunity of observing the Shoveler during the breeding 

 season, it has greatly increased in number during the 

 last few years. 



Shovelers are never seen in large flocks, as most of our other species of 

 ducks are ; they usually fly in small parties, sometimes only a pair being seen at 

 a time ; but these parties of Shovelers generally attach themselves to some large 

 flock of other ducks. In size it is a somewhat smaller bird than the Mallard, 

 and like that duck it may often be seen on the coast during the winter, feeding 

 on the mud-flats when the tide is out. As a rule it prefers lochs and ponds 

 not far from the sea, solitary lochs, where there are no trees among moorland 

 for preference and where the shores are covered with tall reeds and rushes 

 growing well out into the shallow water, and plenty of floating weeds and 

 water-plants. 



The food of the Shoveler consists of small insects, fresh-water shrimps, 

 molluscs, or small fish, and it will occasionally eat young grass-shoots and 

 buds of water-plants. They do not dive for their food as a rule, but may be 

 seen, tail upwards, in shallow water feeding on the bottom. Their bills, which 

 are very broad at the point, are provided with sensitive plates specially adapted 

 for sifting mud, and they are very fond of paddling about in shallow muddy 

 water, feeding with their head and neck under the surface. 



It is a somewhat silent duck, and its 'quack' is not unlike that of the 

 Mallard, though hardly so harsh ; on the wing its note is a deep ' giitk-giick- 

 giick' During the pairing season the males may be constantly seen chasing 

 the females in the air, and until she begins to sit the female is usually followed 

 by one or two males every time she leaves the nest to feed. 



The Shoveler is rather a late breeder, and does not begin to lay until well 

 N 49 



