A large duck with a long, heavy bill, usually held low on the water as it swims with shoulders almost awash; in flight grotesque bill obvious. Much quieter than the larger Mallard, but wings noisy on take-off.

There are times when a female Shoveler at moderate range is not immediately obvious, looking rather like a female Mallard. At close range, however, it seems inconceivable that such a huge bill could be overlooked: it makes the Shoveler look uniquely front-heavy. A drake in full plumage is unmistakable even at a distance, with its richly coloured and boldly contrasted pattern. Shoveler is sporadically distributed: over much of its range it is a scarce breeding bird. In winter, in places where other wildfowl gather in hundreds or thousands, there may be fewer than 20 Shovelers except in the most favoured spots. They prefer rich, lowland lakes with plenty of shoreline vegetation, but they can also be found on saltmarsh and sometimes quite open reservoirs and flooded pits in autumn and winter.