Shoveler

Name: Shoveler

Scientific name: Anas clypeata

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 40

What are nature stars?

About: A common dabbling duck, particularly during the winter. Shovelers feed by sweeping their bills back and forth through the water, filtering out small invertebrates, plant seeds and other things.

How to identify: Told by it's long, broad 'shovel' of a bill. The male has a dark green head, white breast and orangey-brown sides.

Where: Nests in southern and eastern England and in Scotland. More common in the winter, when it is quite widespread throughout the country.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 30
• Agility: 30
• Rarity: 60
• Cute factor: 50
• Traveller: 80

Fantastic fact: There are three other species of Shoveler around the world, found in Australia, Africa and South America.

Photograph credit: David Longshaw