Bird of the Month- Jan 2022: Northern Shoveler

Photos courtesy of Jeff Bleam.

WIth the start of the new year, we are featuring a new bird of the month: The Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata). Northern Shovelers are a type of duck easily recognized by their impressively large bill. They use this bill to "dig" for morsels in the mud and pond weeds. Male Shovelers are recognized by their bright breeding plumage of black heads, white bodies and cinnamon sides. Females are mottled brown. Northern Shovelers are a common site as they winter here in Northern Nevada. Some of the local parks where Northern Shovelers are found are Virginia Lake, Diamond Creek pond, Paradise Park and Swan Lake. These parks are all featured on our Birding by Bus map. Click below to see our map of these parks and visit them with a simple bus ride

Birding By Bus

To learn more about Northern Shovelers, visit their page on the Audubon Field Guide:

Northern Shovelers Audubon