Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata Anas clypeata

Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata
(aka Anas clypeata)

Ethiopia
January 2016

The Northern Shoveler breeds across most of the northern hemisphere and, while some populations are sedentary, most migrate southwards in the northern winter. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. The birds seen in Ethiopia will probably have arrived in about September and will move back north in about April. Apparently some birds remain in Ethiopia to breed.

The male in photo 1 is quite distinctive with its enormous bill. The female in photo 2 has a similar shaped bill. It feeds on aquatic invertebrates and uses its bill to sweep from side to side when surface feeding. It also dabbles and sometimes dives.

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