Day 31: Northern Shoveler

The Northern Shoveler is a common duck in North America and can be seen during winter in the eastern parts of Maryland. We've seen quite a few on our recent weekend excursions.

The large bill of a Northern Shoveler makes them unmistakable. It's made to strain small crustaceans from the water, and shovelers feed by holding their bills in the water while swimming, straining out their food by constantly dabbling.

A breeding male Northern Shoveler has a dark green head, white chest, and brown belly. The female, like many female ducks, is a drab dull brown color. It looks pretty similar to a female Mallard duck, but you can easily tell the difference by the bills.