Northern Shoveler
Learn to identify the Northern Shoveler by ear. Master the "took-took-took" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Northern Shoveler sounds like
Nasal chux-a notes and chunkier chuck-chux phrases pass back and forth through this courtship clip.
How to tell it apart
Where you'll hear it
Breeds across northern North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America winters mainly along ice-free coasts, the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Shallow, nutrient-rich wetlands including marshes, prairie potholes, flooded fields, sewage ponds, and saline lagoons; favors areas with extensive emergent vegetation adjacent to open water.
Migratory: arrives on breeding grounds March–May and departs August–October. Forms large wintering flocks November–February.
How to recognize it by sight
The Northern Shoveler is a medium-sized dabbling duck instantly recognizable by its outsized, spoon-shaped bill. Males in breeding plumage sport bold patterns of green, white, chestnut, and black, while females are mottled brown with an orange-tipped bill. They skim the water’s surface in tight groups, filtering plankton, seeds, and invertebrates with the comb-like lamellae along the edges of their bills.