DESCRIPTIVE LIST 67 



The male Shoveller is a striking bird and the green of its head often leads the 

 hasty observer at a distance to believe that he is looking at a Mallard, the similarity 

 also being heightened in part by the large size of the bird. This species is more 

 common in the Mississippi Valley and the West. In North Carolina, however, it 

 appears in limited numbers, usually frequenting fresh or brackish water. We have 

 often seen these ducks in the possession of gunners at Currituck and have bought 

 others at New Bern. A pair was seen in the spring of 1902 at Raleigh by C. S. 

 Brimley. Cairns regarded it as a common spring transient in Buncombe County. 

 While fairly good for food, it is not rated high among ducks. 



FIG. 41. SHOVELLER (adult male). 



"I found a flock of about a dozen on Lake Ellis in November, 1909. They were 

 feeding in very shallow water, with mud bottom, and their actions were noticeably 

 different from those of any other ducks with which I am familiar. It was not 

 more than a hundred yards from the rear of my blind to the mudflat on which the 

 birds were feeding, and it was interesting to watch their movements. The notice- 

 able feature of the appearance of these Shovellers was the absence of any erect 

 heads. Every head was down on the water, and every bill submerged. The effect 

 was more that of a lot of muskrats wading in about four inches of water than of 

 feeding ducks. Finally, I left the blind and waded out towards them. Even then 

 not a head was raised until I was almost within range. Then every bill came up 

 at once and the flock took flight. Although shot at several times, and two killed, 

 the survivors returned to the same place no less than seven times during a period 

 of three or four hours." H. H. BRIMLEY. 



