The Australasian shoveler (''Spatula rhynchotis'') is a species of

dabbling duck The Anatinae are a subfamily of the family Anatidae ( swans, geese and ducks). Its surviving members are the dabbling ducks, which feed mainly at the surface rather than by diving. The other members of the Anatinae are the extinct moa-nalo, a yo ...

in the genus ''Spatula''. It ranges from 46 to 53 cm. It lives in heavily vegetated swamps. In Australia it is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974. They occur in southwestern and southeastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

.Clements, J. (2007) The male has a blue-grey head with a vertical white crescent in front of the eyes.

Naming

The common name for the species ''Spatula rhynchotis'' is Australasian shoveler no matter which country it is found in. It was previously categorised as two subspecies: * ''S. rhynchotis rhynchotis'' Australian shoveler, the nominate race, occurs in southwestern and southeastern

and

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. * ''S. rhynchotis variegata'' New Zealand shoveler, occurs in

. Other names used include: spoonbill, shoveler, spoony, spoonie and shoveller. The

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

name of kuruwhengi is still valid. The Australasian shoveler was described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801.

Courtship and breeding in New Zealand

Courtship in New Zealand starts around August which involves vocalisations from the drake (male) accompanied with head-bobbing whilst swimming toward the duck (female). The most heard vocalisations are from the drakes in the form of a "Sock, sock-sock, sock, sock-sock". Often several drakes will pursue an already paired duck: Generally the mated males are aggressive and will not tolerate this behavior from the bachelors, and fighting may ensue. Courtship flights are common in the morning and evenings mostly, where the duck is followed in a short rapid flight by one or more (usually two) drakes. This tests the speed and agility of the drakes. The duck may be biased in picking the 'winner' in these tests however, especially if she has paired with one of the competitors. She will even sometimes excrete mid-flight on a pursuing male if he is especially not to her fancy. There is a clear and unexplained sex ratio difference with a lot more males to females. This difference is not present in broods of ducklings however. Males with a lot of white breast feathers are not usually paired. These white feathers are often a sign of an older shoveler as first year males almost never have them. Mating will occur as early as August, though nesting rarely happens until at least October.J. J. Holland. New Zealand Shoveler Observations. 2009

Gallery

File:Australasian_Shoveler.jpg, Female adult at

Lake Monger Lake Monger ( nys, Keiermulu) is a large urban wetland on the Swan Coastal Plain in suburban Perth, Western Australia nestled between the suburbs of Leederville, Wembley and Glendalough. Located less than from the city of Perth and situated ...

File:Australasian Shoveler female RWD2.jpg, Female - Scotland Heights Waterfowl Park File:Australasian_Shoveler_Male.jpg, Male adult at

File:Australasian Shoveler male RWD4.jpg, Male - Scotland Heights Waterfowl Park

Footnotes

References

*Clements, James, (2007
''The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World''
Cornell University Press, Ithaca {{Taxonbar, from1=Q259701, from2=Q28106912 Spatula (genus) Ducks Birds of Australia Birds of New Zealand Birds described in 1801 Taxa named by John Latham (ornithologist)