Northern Shoveler

The northern shoveler is a medium-sized dabbling duck 44–52 cm long, instantly recognisable by its very broad spatulate bill. Breeding males have a dark-green head, white breast, chestnut flanks and black back; females are mottled brown but retain the oversized bill and show pale blue forewings. Closely spaced comb-like lamellae along the bill edges act as a sieve while feeding (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds across northern Eurasia and North America and winters south into tropical regions, including Southeast Asia. Shovelers favour shallow lakes, marshes, flooded grassland and estuaries, swimming with bills submerged or circling in groups to filter plankton, aquatic invertebrates and seeds. Females place grass-and-down nests on the ground near water, laying eight to twelve eggs and incubating them for about 22–25 days (Wikipedia, general species account).