| Northern Shoveler Identification Tips |
| (Credit: U. S. Geological Survey) |
| General
Information - Large dabbling duck - Large spatulate bill - Juvenile similar to adult female Adult male alternate - Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer - Black bill - Eyes yellow - Green head - White lower neck, breast, and tail - Rusty underbody with white band on hind flanks - Dark back, with elongated white scapulars - Pale blue upper secondary coverts - Green speculum with white leading and trailing edges Adult male basic - Similar to adult female Adult female - Eyes brown - Orange bill with dusky patches - Mottled brown and buff head, neck and back - Dusky blue upper secondary coverts - Dull green speculum with white fore border Similar species Large, spatulate bill makes the Northern Shoveler immediately recognizable in all plumages. |
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