A distinctive dabbling duck endemic to southern South America, inhabiting freshwater marshes, lagoons, and coastal wetlands from Chile and Argentina to the Falkland Islands. Males are adorned with vibrant chestnut plumage, contrasting black-and-white wing patches, and a striking, oversized shovel-shaped bill adapted for filter-feeding. Females exhibit more subdued tones—mottled brown feathers with subtle streaks—providing camouflage while nesting. Both sexes forage by sifting shallow waters for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and algae, using their specialized bills to strain food. Often observed in pairs or small flocks, they thrive in calm, vegetated wetlands where they feed and rest.
• Red shoveler
• Pato pico cuchara sudamericano
Scientific classification:
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Anseriformes
Family:Anatidae
Genus:Spatula
Species:S. platalea
Laguna Nimez, El Calafate, Lago Argentino, Santa Cruz, Argentina
Photo Taken: April 28, 2022
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