Spatula platalea
The Red Shoveler, *Spatula platalea*, is a captivating dabbling duck endemic to southern South America, immediately recognizable by its disproportionately large, spatulate bill, perfectly adapted for filter-feeding. Males are striking, featuring a chestnut-red belly and flanks, a distinctive blue-grey head adorned with a bright white crescent between the bill and eye, a black back, and a pale blue speculum on the wing. Females are more subtly mottled brown, mirroring the typical female duck p...
Primarily inhabiting freshwater wetlands, the Red Shoveler favors shallow, nutrient-rich lakes, marshes, lagoons, and floodplains, often with emergent vegetation. They are typically found at low to moderate elevations.
Their diet consists mainly of zooplankton, small aquatic invertebrates (such as crustaceans and insect larvae), and some seeds of aquatic plants. They primarily forage by filter-feeding, sifting small organisms from the water.
Red Shovelers are largely diurnal, though they may feed at night during full moons or under certain conditions. Their primary foraging strategy involves filter-feeding, where they hold their large bill just below the water surface, often in a sweeping motion, straining out small organisms. Courts...
The Red Shoveler is exclusively found in South America, primarily across the southern half of the continent. Its breeding range extends from central Chile and Argentina eastward through Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, and also includes parts of Bolivia and the Falkland Islands. During the...
Least Concern
- The Red Shoveler's distinctive bill is lined with fine lamellae, comb-like structures that act as a sieve to filter microscopic food items from the water. - Unlike many dabbling ducks that 'tip-up' to feed, the Red Shoveler often swims with its bill submerged, sweeping it side to side. - Despit...