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Australian shoveler
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An Australian Shoveler duck (Anas rhynchotis) with a large, dark bill and mottled brown, chestnut, and green plumage stands at the edge of blue water.
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Australian shoveler

bird
Also known as: Anas rhynchotis, Australasian shoveler, Spatula rhynchotis, blue-winged shoveler(Show More)
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An Australian Shoveler duck (Anas rhynchotis) with a large, dark bill and mottled brown, chestnut, and green plumage stands at the edge of blue water.
Australian shoveler (Anas rhynchotis) Australian shoveler (Anas rhynchotis, also known as Spatula rhynchotis in some classifications) standing at the edge of Lake Monger in Western Australia. The species is found in New Zealand and Tasmania and across large swaths of Australia.

The Australian shoveler is one of four species of dabbling ducks belonging to the genus Anas. These ducks are characterized by their large, spoon-shaped bills, which they use to sift through mud for food.1

The Australasian, or blue-winged, shoveler (A. rhynchotis) is found in Australia and New Zealand. These ducks inhabit shallow marshes and lagoons, using their specialized bills to filter small organisms and seeds from the water. While they are rapid fliers, they may appear somewhat humpbacked in the air. The meat of shovelers is not highly regarded by hunters, leading to the nickname "neighbour's mallard".1

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