the northern shoveler ( / ˈʃʌvələr / ; spatula clypeata ) , or northern shoveller in british english , sometimes known simply as the shoveler , is a common and widespread duck .

it breeds in northern areas of europe and asia and across most of north america , wintering in southern europe , africa , the indian subcontinent , southeast asia , and central , and northern south america .

it is a rare vagrant to australia .

in north america , it breeds along the southern edge of hudson bay and west of this body of water , and as far south as the great lakes west to colorado , nevada , and oregon .

the northern shoveler is one of the species to which the agreement on the conservation of african-eurasian migratory waterbirds ( aewa ) applies .

the conservation status of this bird is least concern .

northern shoveler

northern shoveler <EOT> the northern shoveler was first described in 1758 by carolus linnaeus , swedish botanist , physician and zoologist .

battley , p . f . 1991 . northern shoveler near wanganui . notornis 38 : 48 - 50 .

when flushed off the nest , a female northern shoveler often defecates on its eggs , apparently to deter predators .

the northern shoveler can be found in marshes and prairie potholes . it needs habitats with shallow water with muddy bottoms .

not to be outdone by the drake , here is a close up of the female northern shoveler in all her radiance .

living in the northern part of the old world . in otherwords , europe and asia and northern africa .

the oldest recorded northern shoveler was a male , and at least 16 years , 7 months old when he was found in nevada .

and why are they called northern shovelers ? well , that is because they are not the only species of shoveler in the world , though they are the only ones living in the northern hemisphere .

the northern shoveler is a long - distance migrant , that breeds across the entire northern hemisphere . it spends the northern winter mainly in the northern tropics and warm temperate areas immediately to the north . asian populations winter throughout east asia south to thailand , with occasional records further south including borneo and australia . the east asian population is estimated at 500 , 000 birds .

the video above showing the pair bonding and precopulatory behavior of the northern shoveler ( anas clypeata ) was shot from the photography bind at colusa national wildlife refuge , one of the refuges of the sacramento national wildlife refuge complex in northern california .

melville , d . s . 2013 [ updated 2017 ] . northern shoveler . in miskelly , c . m . ( ed . ) new zealand birds online . urltoken

the northern shoveler breeds from alaska east to northern manitoba and south to california and the great lakes region . it winters from oregon south to california and east across the southern united states and up the east coast to new jersey . it also winters in mexico , central america , northern south america , and the caribbean .

during the heat of the day , the shoveler often rests on the mud next to the water .

the other main foraging technique employed by the northern shoveler using that rather large spatulate bill is filtering the open water surface as they swim , seen in this video filmed at sacramento nwr .

northern shoveler : this is a medium - sized dabbling duck with a large spoon - shaped bill . males have a dark green head , dark bill , orange legs , yellow eyes , white

northern shoveler populations have remained fairly steady since 1955 , but 2007 and 2009 brought peak numbers and the numbers have remained high , most likely due to favorable habitat conditions for breeding , migrating , and wintering northern shovelers ( u . s . fish and wildlife service , 2009 ) .

due to their highly specialized bills and consequent habitat requirements , the northern shoveler appears to be less affected by drought and food scarcity than other dabblers . this may explain how this species has maintained long - term stable populations .

northern shoveler . adult male in breeding plumage . texas , december 2006 . image © jim denny by jim denny http : / / www . kauaibirds . comhttp : / / www . flickr . com / photos / hawaiibirds /

mitchell , c . 2005 . northern shoveler anas clypeata . pp . 560 - 564 in kear , j . ( ed . ) . bird families of the world . ducks , geese and swans . oxforduniversity press : oxford .

the drake northern shoveler is readily identifiable in breeding plumage . it has a dark green head , white breast and a large chestnut patch on the flanks . in flight the upper forewing is pale blue - grey , with a dark green speculum on the trailing margin of the wing , similar to the wing pattern of the australasian shoveler . female northern shovelers , and males in eclipse , would be very similar to australasian shovelers . no characters have been identified to separate the species in these plumages . northern shovelers of both sexes have dark grey bills ( as do australasian shovelers ) .

dubowy , paul j . 1996 . northern shoveler ( spatula clypeata ) , version 2 . 0 . in the birds of north america ( p . g . rodewald , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , new york , usa .

the northern shoveler is a common holarctic duck with a high degree of morphological and feeding specializations . unlike most dabbling ducks ( genus anas ) , it has a bill ideally suited for straining small swimming crustaceans from the water . previous studies have shown that northern shovelers feed primarily by holding their bills in the water while swimming , straining out small invertebrates by continually dabbling .

the northern shoveler has a large range , estimated globally at 10 , 000 , 000 square kilometers . native to the americas , europe , asia and africa and introduced to australia , this bird prefers grassland , wetland and marine ecosystems . the global population of this bird is estimated at 5 , 000 , 000 to 6 , 400 , 000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the iucn red list . for this reason , the current evaluation status of the northern shoveler is least concern .

northern shoveler : breeds from alaska and northern manitoba south to california , nebraska , and wisconsin ; local and uncommon in the great lakes area and the northeast . winters from oregon across the southern half of the u . s . to the gulf coast , north to new jersey , and south to central america . prefers marshes and prairie potholes ; sometimes found on salt or brackish marshes .

the northern shoveler is a common breeder throughout washington ' s lowland ponds and wetlands ( although some birds sighted in summer on the west side of the cascades are non - breeders ) . it is also a common winter resident . northern shovelers are more common breeders on the east side of the cascades than on the west side , but more common wintering on the west side in appropriate habitat .

the northern shoveler is a migratory duck that breeds in temperate regions across the entire northern hemisphere . a few birds stray south of the equator when on migration , including 10 - 14 records from new zealand . all the new zealand records are of males in their distinctive white - and - chestnut plumage with bottle - green head , with several of these birds shot by duck hunters . the drab females would be very difficult to separate from female australasian shovelers , and so it is likely that many northern shovelers are overlooked in new zealand .

dubowy , p . j . 1996 . northern shoveler . the birds of north america . no . 217 . ( a . poole and f . gill , eds . ) . philadelphia : the academy of natural sciences ; washington , d . c . : the american ornithologists ' union .

the bill of the shoveler is ideally suited for straining small swimming invertebrates from the water and mud . seeds and aquatic plants are also important food items , especially during winter .

northern shovelers feed from the surface , filtering items from the water with fine comb - like ridges on the inside of their bills .

dubowy , p . j . 1997 . long - term foraging optimization in northern shovelers . ecological modelling 95 : 119 - 132 .

the bill of the northern shoveler is big ( about 2 . 5 inches long ) and shaped like a shovel , but that odd - shaped bill also has about 110 fine projections ( called lamellae ) along the edges that act like a colander , filtering out tiny crustaceans , seeds , and aquatic invertebrates from the water .

similar species ( adult males only ) : the australasian shoveler is similar in size and shape . the drake australasian shoveler has a blue - grey head with a vertical white crescent at the base of bill . but note that male northern shovelers in ‘eclipse’ plumage ( a plumage attained for a short time after the breeding season ) also may show a pale crescent on the face , as well as a speckled breast . the drake mallard has a similarly green head but has a dark maroon - brown breast and yellow bill .

world ' s last male northern white rhino , sudan , dies the world ' s last male northern white rhino , sudan , has died after " age - related complications , " researchers announced tuesday , saying he " stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength . "

during winter , the northern shoveler will use virtually any wetland as long as it has muddy edges . it can then be found on coastal brackish lagoons , tidal mudflats , estuaries , coastal shorelines , fresh and brackish estuarine marshes , swamps , inland seas and brackish or saline inland waters , and flooded areas in savanna , grassland or forest . the northern shoveler will even forage in sewage ponds and stagnant or polluted waters avoided by other species of ducks . it may occasionally briefly occur on marine waters during migration , yet it generally avoids very saline habitats . general habits : northern shovelers are usually found in pairs or in small parties , but they tend to congregate when feeding and roosting , and flocks of 20 , 30 or even several hundreds of individuals occur in favoured areas in africa . they may also travel in large numbers during migration and large concentrations then form , especially at stop - over sites . this species is highly migratory , flying south to overwinter in tropical and subtropical regions , although it may be present all year round in parts of europe . the northern shoveler migrates in flocks in a prolonged migration period in both the spring and the fall .

northern shovelers don ' t just occur in the americas , they also breed across europe and spend the winter throughout europe , africa , and india .

northern shovelers migrate in flocks in a prolonged migration period in both the spring and the fall . the spring migration is relatively late , usually peaking about the end of april . the fall migration begins in august , peaks in september , and continues into november . many northern shovelers winter in washington .

northern shovelers are very popular with aviculturists , are rather easy to propagate , and can be found in almost any waterfowl collection . ( todd 1979 . )

the northern shoveler appears quite large , though it is its disproportionately large head that gives this impression . in body size , it is appreciably smaller than either the mallard or the spot - billed duck . its plumage is distinctive . the male has an iridescent blue - green head , its chest is pure white and its flanks are chestnut , making it a very smart bird indeed . like the other dabbling ducks , however , the shoveler has what is known as an eclipse plumage . the bright colors of the male serve the significant purpose of advertising , to compete with other males for the attention of females .

female northern shovelers have mottled brown , black and white feathers and a blue patch on their wings . their eyes are brown and their bill is a brownish green .

northern shovelers are monogamous and remain together longer than pairs of most other dabbling ducks . they form bonds on the wintering grounds and stay together until just before fall migration .

the northern shoveler is a medium - sized dabbling duck . its most unique feature is its large shovel - shaped bill . during the breeding season , male shovelers have shiny green heads , a white body , rusty - red undersides , and black wings . in non - breeding season their color is a little duller and their head and breast are brown . male shovelers have yellow eyes and a black bill .

during the breeding season , northern shovelers are widely distributed throughout north america , europe and northern asia . they normally inhabit open , shallow and muddy freshwater wetlands that house a large abundance of submergent vegetation . these wetlands are usually adjacent to open grassy areas , which provide sufficient cover for nests . similar habitats are used during spring and fall migration .

northern shovelers fly from the prairie pothole region through the pacific or central flyways , with major stopover areas in the great salt lake , malheur basin and carson sink . they winter in california ; coastal louisiana , texas , and mexico ; and the north and central highlands of mexico . wintering habitat includes fresh and brackish coastal marshes , and ponds . saltwater wetlands are generally avoided . northern shovelers are common winter visitors to central america , the caribbean and northern colombia , and are found occasionally in trinidad ( scott and carbonell , 1986 ) .

carboneras , c . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . northern shoveler ( spatula clypeata ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

the very large , spatulate bill is the most distinguishing feature of the aptly named northern shoveler . the male in breeding plumage has bright wings , a bright iridescent - green head with a yellow eye , bold white breast , and chestnut sides . females , juveniles , and males in eclipse plumage ( from may through august ) are mottled brown with orange legs and a green - black iridescent speculum with a blue patch on the forewing .

hovelers have an entirely different approach . the bill of the shoveler is a large affair , both longer and broader than those of any of their relatives . the japanese name for this bird , hibiro - gamo , lects the noticeable broadness of its characteristic beak .

pay a visit to one of the major city parks , or to almost any major river mouth between now and april , and you will find flocks of slender - necked northern pintail , compact eurasian wigeon , stocky mallard or solid and bulky spot - billed duck . the pintail and wigeon in particular occur in huge flocks often numbered in the thousands . among them , there are often smaller numbers of a rather different - looking bird : the shoveler .

northern shovelers breed in the parklands , short - and mixed - grass prairies of canada , and the grasslands of the north - central united states . they prefer shallow marshes that are mud - bottomed and rich in invertebrate life . nest sites are generally located on the ground in grassy areas lacking woody cover and away from open water . female northern shovelers lay an average of 9 eggs .

check out my latest west coast beat writer post over at 10000 birds ! i’ve got this video plus two others and several photos of the beautiful northern shovelers that were taken at our national wildlife refuges .

there are 10 accepted northern shoveler records from new zealand , and several other sightings that have not been assessed . all but two records were from the north island ( particularly the bay of plenty and horowhenua ) , and all but one were of the readily recognisable drake ( there was a pair at pauri lake , whanganui , in august 1989 ) . all new zealand records were during the southern winter ( march to august ) , when northern shovelers should be on their breeding grounds . the preponderance of records in may , and particularly the first week of may , has more to do with the timing of the duck - shooting season in new zealand than the migratory behaviour of the birds .

so , if your travels should take you to places such as izunuma , in miyagi prefecture , to see the great winter goose gathering there , do look out for these very special extras among the main cast . and don’t forget to look out for the shoveler among the other dabbling ducks .

many of the dabbling ducks use their flat bills to strain food items from the water , but the big spatulate bill of the northern shoveler is adapted to take this habit to the extreme . flocks of shovelers often swim along with their big bills barely submerged in front of them , straining food from the muddy soup of shallow waters . despite their heavy - set build , shovelers are good fliers ; at large gatherings , groups often are seen taking off , circling the area repeatedly , then alighting again .

living in the nearctic biogeographic province , the northern part of the new world . this includes greenland , the canadian arctic islands , and all of the north american as far south as the highlands of central mexico .

northern shovelers stay in small groups of up to twenty , but they may travel in larger numbers during migration . they are quiet birds that tolerate human presence and can be relatively tame . ( todd , 1979 . )

perhaps the most outwardly distinctive of the dabbling ducks thanks to its large spoon - shaped bill , the northern shoveler busily forages head down in shallow wetlands . its uniquely shaped bill has comblike projections along its edges , which filter out tiny crustaceans and seeds from the water . if the bill doesn’t catch your eye , the male ' s blocky color palette sure will , with its bright white chest , rusty sides , and green head . the female is no less interesting with a giant orange bill and mottled brown plumage .

perhaps the most visible diagnostic characteristic of the northern shoveler is its large spoon - shaped bill , which widens towards the tip and creates a shape unique among north american waterfowl . male northern shovelers have an iridescent green head and neck , white chest and breast and chestnut belly and sides . they have a white stripe extending from the breast along the margin of the gray - brown back , and white flank spots . the wings have a gray - blue shoulder patch , which is separated from a brilliant green speculum by a tapered white stripe . the bill is black in breeding plumage and the legs and feet are orange . female northern shovelers have a light brownish head with a blackish crown and a brownish speckled body . the upper wing coverts are grayish - blue , the greater secondary coverts are tipped with white and the secondaries are brown with a slight greenish sheen . the bill is olive green with fleshy orange in the gape area and speckled with black dots .

one of the coolest things about northern shovelers are their feeding habits . they are dabbling ducks which feed by upending and , you guessed it , dabbling . unlike most other dabbling ducks however , the northern shovelers strain aquatic vegetation , plankton , and tiny invertebrates through the comb - like edges of their shovel - shaped bill . you can see these comb - like structures called lamellae in this photo of the drake ( click on photos for full sized images ) .

this bird favors broad , shallow marshes where it can use the comb - like teeth along the edges of its large bill to strain aquatic animals , plants , and seeds from the water . like the two teal , male shovelers wear eclipse plumage until february , much later than ducks whose courtship begins in the fall . though less numerous than in ancient times , the northern shoveler and other marsh ducks have lately become relatively abundant because game departments and private organizations in canada , the united states , and mexico have purchased wetland habitat to ensure their survival .

during the breeding season , northern shovelers are found in shallow pools and marshes that have good cover and dry areas nearby for nesting . in the winter they can be found near freshwater marshes , swamps , and flooded areas . ( johnsgard 1965 . )

northern shovelers use shallow wetlands with submerged vegetation during the breeding season , nesting along the margins and in the neighboring grassy fields . outside of the breeding season they forage in saltmarshes , estuaries , lakes , flooded fields , wetlands , agricultural ponds , and wastewater ponds .

as with other species of dabbling ducks , the northern shoveler is found in a variety of wetland habitats , including prairie potholes , saline wetlands , and lacustrine margins in summer , and in playas , coastal marshes , and rice prairies in winter . although its courtship , nesting behavior , postbreeding biology , and migration are generally similar to that observed in other dabbling ducks , it differs in other aspects of its life history . for example , this is the most territorial of all north american dabbling ducks , and males remain paired with females longer than in other species , in turn affecting life - history parameters such as the mating system and courtship .

in the fall , northern shovelers migrate to the southern regions of north america , south america , north africa and southern asia to over winter . freshwater and saline marshes , industrial cooling ponds , agricultural wastewater ponds , coastal lagoons , estuaries and mangrove swamps provide wintering habitat .

northern shovelers are a game bird . hunters often shoot them due to their resemblance to mallards . they are often referred to as " neighbor ' s mallards , " because some hunters give them to their neighbors and keep the more tasty mallards for themselves . ( todd , 1979 . )

northern shovelers feed by dabbling and sifting in shallow water . seeds of sedges , bulrushes , saw grass , smartweeds , pondweeds , algae and duckweeds , as well as aquatic insects , mollusks and crustaceans , are consumed by filtering water which is taken in at the bill tip and jetted out at the base .

northern shovelers are common and their populations were stable between 1966 and 2015 , according to the north american breeding bird survey . partners in flight estimates the global breeding population at 4 . 5 million . the species rates an 8 out of 20 on the continental concern score , which means it is not on the partners in flight watch list and is a species of low conservation concern . the u . s . fish and wildlife service carefully manages duck hunting , and limits the number of individuals hunters can take every year based on population size . from 2012–2016 , hunters have taken an average of 705 , 533 northern shovelers per year .

larry , as always — great post , photo and vids over at 10 , 000 birds ! i had no idea about the lamellae . i mean , i’ve seen them but didn’t understand the full function , nor would i have recognized all of these behaviors as courtship ones . i absolutely love seeing northern shovelers and appreciated knowing more about them .

it is likely that shovelers are suffering from habitat loss and degradation in asia . they are reported as not good to eat as they have a poor flavour compared to other surface feeding ducks , thus hunting pressure is comparatively low . as for all vagrant bird species , northern shovelers are fully protected in new zealand . this apparently makes little difference come the first weekend of may .

the coolest shoveler experience i ever had was at coyote hills in the bay area . scores of shovelers were flying in over the hills to land on one of the big ponds . as they flew over us , they produced a sound that was just like fighter jets . i’ve asked a number of people about that but no one yet has heard it . it must have been a combination of their flight path and wind direction . so odd but so evocative when i remember that moment of standing under their beautiful flight .

northern shovelers inhabit shallow , marshy ponds and wetlands at low elevations . breeding habitat is in open country ( prairie or tundra ) , or lowland woodlands and clearings , always near shallow water . during winter and migration they will use virtually any wetland as long as it has muddy edges . shovelers will forage in sewage ponds and stagnant or polluted waters avoided by other species of ducks .

northern shovelers rarely tip up , but filter mud through their bills , swimming with their heads outstretched , bills skimming the water ' s surface , sifting out food . in flight they stay in tight bunches , weaving to and fro like shorebirds . shovelers are the most territorial of all the north american dabblers , and pair bonds remain intact through incubation , unlike most other species of ducks .

northern shovelers migrate in small isolated flocks of 10 - 25 individuals and travel both day and night . in north america , 2 main migration corridors are favored . one passage extends along the mississippi and missouri valleys , through the central plains to the gulf coast and central mexico . the second migration corridor extends from western canada through the intermountain regions of california and down to the west coast of mexico .

members of the anatidae flock together after breeding in large , multi - species groups at sites with good , safe foraging . at such sites , scoters , canvasbacks , and other diving ducks dive for mussels in the deep sections while dabblers such as gadwall and northern shovelers forage on the surface and in the shallows . on the shore , grazers such as geese and the american widgeon forage on grass .

it arrives on the breeding grounds from march ( with a migration peak around the end of april ) where it breeds in solitary pairs or loose groups in the northern spring ( chiefly from mid - april to june ) . males undergo a post - breeding moult migration from early - may to early - june ( females moulting one month later ) during which they are flightless for 3 - 4 weeks .

the breeding season for northern shovelers begins on the wintering grounds in december , where courtship of hens by a group of drakes commences . by january , the majority of individuals have paired before they start their spring migration and most return to the same breeding grounds they used the previous year . once on the breeding grounds , males defend their females and territory strenuously while the females locate nest sites and begin nest construction .

thanks for this timely post , and congratulations on the great photos and videos ! i love watching northern shovelers here on the olympic peninsula . until this week , i’d only observed their skimming on the surface and upending foraging behaviors . this week i watched a pair swimming in a circle , each one spinning , with the circle creating a funnel effect . it was fascinating , and i wondered ever since what they were doing .

males weigh 17 to 38 ounces ( 470 to 1000g ) and their wingspans are usually around 31 inches ( 227 to 251mm ) . females are 17 to 28 ounces ( 470 to 800g ) . northern shovelers are sexually dimorphic . the males head , neck , and speculum are iridescent green , their chests are white , and the remaining underparts are a bright chestnut . the females are mainly a pattern of buffs and browns . both sexes have pale blue inner forewings and orange - yellow legs and feet . the most distinctive feature is their large spatulate bill . it is twice as wide at the tip than it is at the base . this uniquely shaped bill gives rise to northern shovelers also being called " spoonbills " . the ducklings hatch with a typical duckbill that enlarges as the duckling matures . ( goodes and boyer , 1986 ; todd , 1979 )

most duck species migrate north of japan to breed , and the shoveler is no exception . it is only rarely encountered during summer . now that autumn is here , however , and migration is underway , more and more shovelers are arriving to join the wigeon and pintail flocks . from early september to november , they are fairly common in hokkaido , passing through on their southbound migration . then , from mid - october onward they become more common in honshu . having spent the winter here , they seem much scarcer in spring , so perhaps they migrate northwards again by way of the continent .

a northern shoveler feeds mainly by drawing water into its bill and then pumping it out through the sides with their tongue , filtering out minute food particles with long comb - like lamellae that line the edge of the bill . the particles mainly consist of tiny crustaceans , molluscs , insects , and their larvae as well as seeds and pieces of leaves and stems of plants . in addition to the food particles they also eat water beetles , small minnows , and snails . social feeding is common . the shovelers are drawn to feeding areas by other birds feeding in an area . shovelers take advantage of the food particles churned to the surface by the other birds swimming or wading in the area . single birds may swim in a tight circle to create a whirlpool to cause food to come to the surface . shovelers are also known to upend or dabble , usually for lengthier periods than other surface feeders , and also dive using their wings to swim underwater in shallow marshes . ( gooders and boyer , 1986 , johnsgard , 1969 , todd , 1979 )

with vegetation constituting 60 % its diet , northern shovelers tend to forage on water bodies that are high in plant diversity . vegetated water bodies provide seed from various plants including pondweed , bulrush , various grasses , sedges and algae . the remainder of its diet consists of mollusks , aquatic insects and zooplankton . more specifically , they prefer to forage on animals such as fingernail clams , water boatmans , midge and caddis fly larvae , and copepods and ostracods .

the edges of its beak are ridged , and these ridges have a very distinctive function . they serve to filter out food from the surface of the water . although these are very small ridges , they function as sieves , similar to the way the baleen does for some of the whales . whereas most of the dabbling ducks are almost exclusively vegetarian , the shoveler’s diet includes far more animal matter than any of its close relatives . they are able to sieve the surface waters of wet rice fields , marshes , ponds and lakes , and so catch a range of animal matter too , which can include insects , mollusks , crustaceans and even small fish .

although easily recognizable , this species is less well known than other dabbling ducks such as the mallard ( anas platyrhynchos ) , northern pintail ( a . acuta ) , or green - winged teal ( a . crecca ) . even among waterfowl hunters , it rates a low standing , perhaps as much from ignorance of this species as from experience . although this duck has been well studied in north america and the western palearctic , less is known about its biology and habits in asia .

northern shovelers are by no means the only waterfowl to look out for this season . the wild swans , the whooper and bewick’s are already here , working their way into the country from the north , as are the flocks of geese . large numbers of white - fronted and bean geese are already pausing at their traditional sites in hokkaido , and in another week or so they will be heading south for honshu . with them this year are several rarities in the shape of snow geese and swan geese .

the unique bill morphology of northern shovelers allows this species to exhibit one of the most unusual feeding behaviors of any duck . its large spoon shaped bill is adapted for sifting large amounts of muddy water . their tongues are highly specialized with extensive comb - like teeth called lamellae , which help filter food items from the water . moving its head side to side , water is drawn in at the tip of the bill , filtered through the lamellae to pick up any food particulate and then expelled at the base .

national wildlife refuges are a great place to look for northern shovelers from migration throughout the winter months ( august–april ) . look around the fringes of shallow areas for groups of ducks with their heads down foraging intently . they tend to use more stagnant pools of water than other ducks , so you may also find them in smaller and murkier pools of water . the male ' s bright white chest will surely attract your attention if you don ' t immediately see their giant bill . shovelers are a little less wary than other ducks , sometimes affording closer looks without the need of a spotting scope .

northern shovelers , related to the blue - winged and cinnamon teal , are often referred to as the " spoonbill " or " spoony " because of their unique spatulate shaped bill . breeding males are distinguished by a green / black head , white belly , rufous flanks and black bill . females show similar body patterns as males but tend to be more gray and their bills are orange , speckled with black . at a casual glance , individuals can easily be mistaken for mallards but can be distinguished from them by the large blue patch they display on their shoulder and their iridescent green speculum ( a lustrous colored patch on the wing ) as opposed to the absence of a shoulder patch and violet blue speculum of the mallard

larry jordan was introduced to birding after moving to northern california where he was overwhelmed by the local wildlife , forcing him to buy his first field guide just to be able to identify all the species visiting his yard . building birdhouses and putting up feeders brought the avian fauna even closer and he was hooked . larry wanted to share his passion for birds and conservation and hatched the birder ' s report in september of 2007 . his recent focus is on bringing the western burrowing owl back to life in california where he also monitors several bluebird trails . he is a birdlife species champion and contributes to several other conservation efforts , being the webmaster for wintu audubon society and the director of strategic initiatives for the urban bird foundation . he is now co - founder of a movement to create a new revenue stream for our national wildlife refuges with a wildlife conservation pass .

northern shovelers swim through wetlands , often with their bills down in the water , swinging them side to side to filter out tiny crustacean prey . sometimes large groups swim in circles to stir up food . they don ' t forage on land regularly , but they do rest on land and walk along wetland edges . they are fairly social ducks , occurring in groups with shovelers and other dabbling ducks , especially during the winter . during the breeding season , they are less tolerant of other shovelers encroaching on their territory . defensive males often chase intruders on the water and in the air . males court females on the wintering grounds with turns , dips , wing flaps , and head pumping . pairs stay together during the breeding season , although males will occasionally mate with a second female . after breeding , males group together in small flocks before and after molting . males molt their flight feathers before migrating south , becoming flightless for a brief period , when they tend to stay hidden in vegetation especially at night .

distribution : this species have a very broad geographic ranges estimated at around 10 , 000 , 000 km2 .

this duck is especially found in water bodies rich in aquatic vegetation and in plankton . suitable habitats include well - vegetated lakes , ponds and marshes with muddy shores and substrates in open country - such as grasslands or even tundra - or lowland woodlands and clearings for nesting , as well as oxbow lakes , channels and swamps , notably in the former u . s . s . r . . it also frequents artificial waters bordered by lush grassland such as sewage farms , rice - fields and fish ponds .

the autumn migration begins in august , peaks in september , and continues into november . the species is then likely to travel on a broad front , with the western european populations spreading across arabia and into africa .

birds of eden in plettenberg bay , south africa is a world - class free flight bird sanctuary that aims to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of free - flight african birds and miniature monkeys .

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recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : spatula clypeata . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

monval , j - y . and pirot , j - y . 1989 . results of the [ more ]

scott , d . a . and rose , p . m . 1996 . atlas of anatidae [ more ]

trolliet , b , girard , o , benmergui , m . , schricke , [ more ]

average weight : m 1 . 5 lbs . , f 1 . 4 lbs .

among the smaller waterfowl , there are basically two types : there are ducks that dive , and there are those that dabble . diving ducks , such as the tufted duck , scaup , scoter , harlequin and long - tailed duck , are birds of open , deep water , birds of lakes , coasts and the open ocean . dabbling ducks , on the other hand , are birds of ponds and streams , shallow lakes and marshes . some of them can be seen in considerable concentrations in japan during the winter .

the females in turn are camouflaged with fine patterning in brown , so that when confined to their nests incubating their eggs they blend in well with marshland vegetation . that camouflage is important in reducing the chances that they may be found by predators — so you can imagine that the boldly marked males are highly conspicuous in contrast . once the mating game has been played ( and won or lost ) , the males quickly lose their brighter plumes and adopt a drabber version . this is more like the camouflage of the females . they spend several months during the middle and latter part of summer , even into autumn , in this guise , but once winter approaches they start shifting back into brighter colors again .

they change their colors and their behavior too , two characteristics that may indeed be linked in some important way . during winter , shovelers and other ducks are most often found in flocks , often very large ones , and in these numbers there is safety . the confusion factor is considerable , because when startled they all take wing together , and the rush of thousands of birds into the air is enough to stall the attack of many a predator . the individual that may have been the focus of the predator’s attentions is suddenly lost in the crowd , and if the predator switches its attentions to another , that too may quickly disappear into the melee .

sometimes , peregrine falcons are drawn to these wintering sites of duck . however , if any of you have watched a peregrine attacking , you will have noticed that it is more than likely to try its luck on a bird that has for some reason become isolated from the flock , rather than one within the flock itself . from the predator’s perspective it must also consider safety . flying at very high speed into a dense flock of slow - moving , heavy ducks is not a sensible approach . the risks of collision and injury to the predator’s own flying equipment — its feathers and wings — are too great .

rhaps it is that safety - in - numbers aspect of winter flock - life that means the dabbling duck males are able to return to their bright plumage at this time of year , rather than wait for spring . on the other hand , could it be perhaps that there are females among those wintering flocks to be wooed in readiness for the next breeding season ?

either way , shovelers and other dabbling ducks are steadily assuming their best plumage of the year . wait for a clear , crisp winter’s day , when the sun is low and bright , and you will find that their iridescent colors seem to glow .

it is worthwhile to take a closer look at the flocks of wintering duck . their bright plumage is inevitably the first feature that catches the eye . however , settle in and wait a while and you will find that their behavior is interesting and an equally effective way of telling them apart .

mallard and spot - billed ducks are heavily built ducks that dabble away at the surface most of the time . their stubby bills are suited to sieving pond weed from the surface of the water . the pintails , in contrast , have slender , longer necks and they use them to good effect reaching submerged plant food . they often lean forward , submerging their heads and necks to reach the vegetation lower down , while their long pointed tails rise vertically .

over 2 , 000 volunteers take part in hong kong beach cleanup to help turtles more than 2 , 000 volunteers hit the beaches on an outlying island of hong kong for a mass cleanup sunday as environmental campaigners warned plastic is killing sea turtles and other wildlife . . . .

a wetland works wonders in battered tohoku between the ages of 13 and 17 , i went to cheltenham grammar school for boys in that picturesque spa town on the edge of the cotswold hills in gloucestershire , england . back then my favor . . .

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ioc _ names _ file _ plus - 8 . 2g : 8 . 2

landfowl ( galliformes ) and waterfowl ( anseriformes ) together ( galloanseres ) are sister to all other extant non - paleognath birds ( neoaves ) .

bering i . , n kurile is . ( ne russia ) and aleutian is . ( usa )

change english name from mascarene sheldgoose to mauritius sheldgoose with recognition of reunion sheldgoose as a separate species .

also called spectacled duck ( sacc ) . bronze - winged duck is the long established name in aviculture .

( gonzalez et al . 2009 , h & m4 , nacc 2017 - b - 10 )

and resequence ( gonzalez et al . 2009 , h & m4 , nacc 2017 - b - 10 )

and resequenced ( gonzalez et al . 2009 , h & m4 , nacc 2017 - b - 10 ) .

is related to black and mottled ducks and should be recognized ( mccracken et al . 2001 ) ; lump by aou cites only hubbard ( 1977 )

. treat as monotypic . clinal . sangster et al 2001 , carboneras et al 2017 .

( livezey 1995 ; collinson et al . 2006 , sangster 2009 ) ; accepted by bou ( sangster et al . 2005 ) & aou ( 2010 , nacc supplement 51 , but english names were mixed up )

formerly auckland merganser . although limited to auckland island in historical times , fossil record shows that this species was also formerly present on north , south and stewart islands . gill et al 2010 .

. here treated as a subspecies of hybrid origin . see lozano - jaramillo et al , 2018 . assigned to

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

cramp , s . and simmons , k . e . l . ( eds ) . 1977 - 1994 . handbook of the birds of europe , the middle east and africa . the birds of the western palearctic . oxford university press , oxford .

spatula clypeata ( del hoyo and collar 2014 ) was previously placed in the genus anas .

ashpole , j , butchart , s . , ekstrom , j . , malpas , l .

justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km 2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing , the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size is extremely large , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

australia ; bermuda ; botswana ; brunei darussalam ; cameroon ; ecuador ; faroe islands ; french polynesia ; greenland ; guinea ; jamaica ; mozambique ; namibia ; new zealand ; rwanda ; saint pierre and miquelon ; seychelles ; south africa ; svalbard and jan mayen ; venezuela , bolivarian republic of ; virgin islands , british ; virgin islands , u . s . ; zimbabwe

the global population is estimated to number c . 6 , 500 , 000 - 7 , 000 , 000 individuals ( wetlands international 2015 ) . the european population is estimated at 170 , 000 - 233 , 000 pairs , which equates to 340 , 000 - 466 , 000 mature individuals ( birdlife international 2015 ) . trend justification : the overall population trend is decreasing , although some populations may be increasing and others have unknown trends ( wetlands international 2015 ) . this species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant increase over the last 40 years in north america ( data from breeding bird survey and / or christmas bird count : butcher and niven 2007 ) . the european population trend is estimated to be stable ( birdlife international 2015 ) .

. the autumn migration chiefly occurs between september and october ( western europe ) , during which the species is likely to travel on a broad front ( e . g . across arabia and into africa ) ( scott and rose 1996 )

, as well as oxbow lakes , channels and swamps ( former u . s . s . r . ) ( flint

, annelids , amphibian spawn , tadpoles , spiders , fish and the vegetative parts of aquatic plants ( e . g . duckweeds ) ( johnsgard 1978 , brown

a study in the czech republic found that fish ponds with a fish stock density of less than 400 kg / ha , water transparency of more than 50 cm , mixed fish stocks ( e . g . tench and pike or perch ) rather than monospecific stocks ( e . g . of carp ) , and systems that include ponds with fish fry ( to provide areas with low fish competition and high invertebrate availability ) are more successful in supporting breeding pairs of this species ( musil 2006 )

2002 , bartoszewicz and zalewski 2003 ) . it is susceptible to avian influenza ( melville and shortridge 2006 , gaidet

so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases . the species may suffer from reproductive impairment as a result of selenium ( se ) accumulation in liver tissues ( selenium contained in sub - surface agricultural drain - water used for wetland management in california led to bioaccumulation of the element in the food chain ) ( paveglio

to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .

shovelers eat tiny crustaceans , other aquatic invertebrates , and seeds which they filter out of the water with comblike projections ( called lamellae ) along the edge of the bill .

females make a small depression on the ground , generally in areas with short vegetation within 150 feet of water .

females use their body , feet , and bill to make a small depression on the ground about 8 inches wide . the nest scrape is usually surrounded on at least three sides by vegetation and lined with downy feathers .

dunne , p . ( 2006 ) . pete dunne ' s essential field guide companion . houghton mifflin harcourt , new york , usa .

ehrlich , p . r . , d . s . dobkin and d . wheye ( 1988 ) . the birder ' s handbook . a field guide to the natural history of north american birds , including all species that regularly breed north of mexico . simon and schuster inc . , new york , usa .


bibasis jaina , the orange-striped awl , is a species of hesperid butterfly found in asia .

the butterfly was reassigned to the genus burara by vane-wright and de jong ( 2003 ) , and is considered burara jaina by them .

the butterfly is occasionally referred to as the orange awlet , though that name is also used for bibasis harisa .

bibasis jaina

bibasis jaina <EOT> bibasis jaina ( moore , [ 1866 ] ) = ismene jaina moore , [ 1866 ] = ismene jaina vasundhara fruhstorfer , 1911 = bibais jaina = burara jaina = burara jaina jaina = ismene vasundhara fruhstorfer , 1911 .

orange - striped awl , burara jaina ( moore , 1865 ) , [ 4 ] [ 11 ] formerly bibasis jaina .

bibasis jaina velva ; [ bmp ] : 333 , pl . 62 , f . 4

" orange awlet " redirects here . for the other moth with this common name , see bibasis jaina .

life cycle of orange awlet - burara jaina . by dr . k . saji

ismene jaina vasundhara fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 59 ; tl : assam

ismene jaina formosana fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 59 ; tl : formosa

ismene jaina margana fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 60 ; tl : siam , hinlap

bibasis kanara ; [ bow ] : pl . 185 , f . 15 ( text )

bibasis harisa consobrina ; [ bmp ] : 332 , pl . 52 , f . 4 - 6

bibasis iluska ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 56

bibasis iluska iluska ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 56

bibasis sena senata ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 56

bibasis arradi [ sic ? ] ; [ bow ] : pl . 185 , f . 13 ( text )

green awlet , burara vasutana moore , 1865 [ 4 ] [ 7 ] [ 13 ] formerly bibasis vasutana .

bibasis ( coeliadinae ) ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 56

pale green awlet , burara gomata ( moore , 1865 ) , [ 4 ] [ 6 ] formerly bibasis gomata .

plain orange awlet , burara anadi de nicéville , 1883 [ 4 ] [ 7 ] [ 9 ] formerly bibasis anadi .

vane - wright and de jong ( 2003 ) ( see tol web pages on genus bibasis and genus burara in the tree of life web project ) state that bibasis contains just three diurnal species , the crepuscular remainder having been removed to burara . the species now shifted to burara are morphologically and behaviorally distinct from bibasis , within which many authors have formerly included them .

orange awlet , burara harisa ( moore , 1865 ) , [ 4 ] [ 7 ] [ 10 ] formerly bibasis harisa .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis jaina " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

small green awlet , burara amara ( moore , 1865 ) , [ 4 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] formerly bibasis amara .

branded orange awlet , burara oedipodea ( swainson , 1820 ) , [ 4 ] [ 7 ] [ 12 ] formerly bibasis oedipodea .

on : ismene jaina margana fruhstorfer , 1911 od : deut . ent . zeit . [ iris ] 25 : 60 . tl : hinlap , siam . ( nhml ) distribution : thailand , laos , vietnam , hainan .

note : bibasis contains just three diurnal species , of which only one occurs in india ; the crepuscular remainder having been removed to burara . the species now shifted to burara are morphologically and behaviorally distinct from bibasis , within which many authors have formerly included them . [ 3 ]

bibasis sena uniformis ; inoue & kawazoe , 1964 , tyô to ga 15 ( 2 ) : 35 ; [ bmp ] : 333 , pl . 52 , f . 9

bibasis uniformis elwes & edwards , 1897 ; trans . zool . soc . lond . 14 ( 4 ) : 305 , pl . 27 , f . 95 ; tl : java

bibasis tuckeri elwes & edwards , 1897 ; trans . zool . soc . lond . 14 ( 4 ) : 293 , pl . 20 ; tl : tavoy , s . burma

bibasis owstoni eliot , 1980 ; malayan nat . j . 33 ( 3 / 4 ) : 150 , f . 10 , 11 , 15 , 16 ; tl : malaysia , pahang , fraser ' s hill

bibasis harisa , the orange awlet , is a species of hesperid found in asia . the butterfly was reassigned to genus burara by vane - wright and de jong ( 2003 ) and is considered by them to be burara harisa .

bibasis harisa , the orange awlet , [ 2 ] is a species of hesperid found in asia . the butterfly was reassigned to genus burara by vane - wright and de jong ( 2003 ) and is considered by them to be burara harisa . [ 3 ]

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis sena " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis gomata " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis amara " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis anadi " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis harisa " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis oedipodea " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " bibasis vasutana " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 16 october 2007 .

bibasis sena ; moore , [ 1881 ] , lepid . ceylon 1 ( 4 ) : 161 , pl . 65 , f . 3 , 3a ; piepers & snellen , 1910 , rhop . java [ 2 ] : 16 , pl . 6 , f . 21a - b ; [ bir ] , 469 ; [ bow ] : pl . 185 , f . 17 ; [ mrs ] , 693 ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 56

ismene swainson , 1820 ; zool . illustr . ( 1 ) 1 : pl . 16 ( preocc . ismene savigny , 1816 ) ; ts : ismene oedipodea swainson

ismene gomata moore , [ 1866 ] ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1865 ( 3 ) : 783 ; tl : darjeeling

burara gomata ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 55

gomata radiosa ( plötz , 1885 ) ( ismene ) ; berl . ent . z . 29 ( 2 ) : 232 ; tl : celebes

burara gomata radiosa ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 55

ismene gomata vajra fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 61 ; tl : java

ismene mahintha moore , [ 1875 ] ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1874 ( 4 ) : 575 , pl . 67 , f . 4 ; tl : burma

ismene nestor zonaras fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 63 ; tl : wetter i .

hasora nestor ; piepers & snellen , 1910 , rhop . java [ 2 ] : 14 , pl . 6 , f . 17a - b

ceylon , india - assam , burma , s . vietnam , malaya , philippines . see [ maps ]

goniloba sena moore , [ 1866 ] ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1865 ( 3 ) : 778 ; tl : bengal

1019x734 ( ~ 77kb ) underside thailand , chantaburi province , khao - khitchakut national park , the krating rivulet valley among the tropical forest above the waterfalls . 6th january 2006 , photo © oleg kosterin

sri lanka , s . india - burma , thailand , laos , hainan , andamans

sikkim - burma , thailand , laos , haina , andamans , s . yunnan . see [ maps ]

ismene amara pindapatra fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 62 ; tl : assam

burara amara ; huang & xue , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 57 : 145 ( name )

ismene aphrodite fruhstorfer , 1905 ; soc . ent . 20 ( 18 ) : 141 ; tl : celebes

burara aphrodite ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 55

burma , thailand , laos , vietnam , malay peninsula , singapore , borneo , sumatra , java , palawan , mindanao . see [ maps ]

ismene etelka hewitson , 1867 ; ill . exot . butts [ 5 ] ( ismene i - ii ) : [ 88 ] , pl . [ 44 ] ; tl : sarawak

ismene harisa moore , [ 1866 ] ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1865 ( 3 ) : 782 ; tl : bengal

ismene harisa asambha fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 61 ; tl : n . vietnam , chieem - hoa

ismene harisa distanti evans , 1932 ; indian butterflies ( edn . 2 ) : 319 ; tl : singapore

ismene imperialis plötz , 1886 ; stettin ent . ztg 47 ( 1 - 3 ) : 115 ; tl : celebes

burara imperialis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 55

burara imperialis imperialis ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 55

burara imperialis veteratrix ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 55

w . ghats , mussoorie - sikkim , assam , burma , n . thailand , vietnam . see [ maps ]

ismene velva evans , 1932 ; indian butterflies ( edn . 2 ) : 318 , no . i . 2 . 9

chaba , assam , burma , indo - china , malay peninsula , sumatra , java , borneo , palawan , philippines , sulawesi . see [ maps ]

ismene oedipodea swainson , 1820 ; zool . illustr . ( 1 ) 1 : pl . 16 ; tl : java

burara oedipodea ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 54

larva on hiptage benghalensis [ mrs ] , combretum , hiptage vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 54

ismene excellens hopffer , 1874 ; stettin ent . ztg 35 ( 1 - 3 ) : 39 ; tl : celebes

burara oedipodea excellens ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 54

ismene oedipodea [ ? ] athena fruhstorfer , 1911 ; dt . ent . z . iris 25 ( 5 ) : 61 ; tl : thailand

burara phul ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 54

ismene septentrionis c . & r . felder , [ 1867 ] ; reise fregatte novara , bd 2 ( abth . 2 ) ( 3 ) : 525 , pl . 73 , f . 3 ; tl : china

sri lanka , n . india , malay peninsula , java , borneo , palawan , mindanao , sulawesi , banggai , sula . see [ maps ]

burara tuckeri ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 54

larva on hiptage vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 54

unipuncta lee , 1962 ; acta ent . sin . 11 ( 2 ) : 141 , 146

nepal , sikkim , assam , burma , thailand , laos . see [ maps ]

ismene [ ? ] kanara evans , 1926 ; j . bombay nat . hist . soc . 31 ( 1 ) : 63

ismene fergusonii de nicéville , [ 1893 ] ; j . bombay nat . hist . soc . 7 ( 3 ) : 345 , pl . j , f . 6 ; tl : s . india

[ ² ] this may require parentheses or not . i don ' t have the necessary information for this taxon .

the butterflies of the malay peninsula . fourth edition revised by j . n . eliot with plates by bernard d ' abrera

reise der österreichischen fregatte novara um die erde in den jahren 1857 , 1858 , 1859 unter den behilfen des commodore b . von wüllerstorf - urbair . zoologischer theil . band 2 . abtheilung 2 . lepidoptera . rhopalocera

illustrations of new species of exotic butterflies selected chiefly from the collections of w . wilson saunders and william c . hewitson

a catalogue of the lepidopterous insects in the museum of the hon . east - india company in horsfield & moore ,

neue hesperiden des indischen archipels und ost - africa ' s aus der collection des herrn h . ribbe in blasewitz - dresden , gesammelt von den herren : c . ribbe auf celebes , java un den aru - inseln , künstler auf malacca ( perak ) ; kühn auf west - guinea ( jekar ) ; menger auf ceylon

if you have corrections , comments or information to add into these pages , just send mail to markku savela keep in mind that the taxonomic information is copied from various sources , and may include many inaccuracies . expert help is welcome .

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the agaricales , or euagarics clade , is a monophyletic group of approximately 8500 mushroom species . . . read more

the tree of life web project ( tol ) is a collaborative effort of biologists and nature enthusiasts from around the world . on more than 10 , 000 world wide web pages , the project provides information about biodiversity , the characteristics of different groups of organisms , and their evolutionary history ( phylogeny ) .

each page contains information about a particular group , e . g . , salamanders , segmented worms , phlox flowers , tyrannosaurs , euglenids , heliconius butterflies , club fungi , or the vampire squid . tol pages are linked one to another hierarchically , in the form of the evolutionary tree of life . starting with the root of all life on earth and moving out along diverging branches to individual species , the structure of the tol project thus illustrates the genetic connections between all living things .

" the affinities of all the beings of the same class have sometimes been represented by a great tree . . . as buds give rise by growth to fresh buds , and these if vigorous , branch out and overtop on all sides many a feebler branch , so by generation i believe it has been with the great tree of life , which fills with its dead and broken branches the crust of the earth , and covers the surface with its ever branching and beautiful ramifications . "

tree of life design , images , and icons copyright © 1995 - 2005 tree of life web project . all rights reserved . image of rose © 1999 nick kurzenko . image of annelid worm © 2001 greg w . rouse .

ankita gupta , swapnil a . lokhande & abhay soman . 2013 . parasitoids of hesperiidae from peninsular india with description of a new species of dolichogenidea ( hymenoptera : braconidae ) parasitic on caterpillar of borbo cinnara ( wallace ) ( lepidoptera : hesperiidae ) zootaxa 3701 ( 2 ) : 277–290 .

( moore , [ 1866 ] ) – common orange awlet . kunte , k . , s . sondhi , and p . roy ( chief editors ) .

if mentioning specific images please give media code ( s ) . for misidentifications please list reasons to assist in diagnosis .

copyright © 2018 , all rights reserved . national centre for biological sciences ( ncbs ) holds copyright for all the original material and compilations on this website , although contributing writers and photographers may hold copyright for their material as cited . material from this website can be used freely for educational , basic research and conservation purposes , provided that this website is acknowledged and properly cited as the source . contact us to obtain prior permission for any other use , including for large data downloads and collaborative research .

confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .

to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .

disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .

this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .

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curators : konstantin efetov , vasiliy feoktistov , svyatoslav knyazev , evgeny komarov , stan korb , alexander zhakov .

species catalog enables to sort by characteristics such as expansion , flight time , etc . .

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nakhon nayok : nakhon nayok dist . 1♂ ( photo by t . aoyama ) .

fruhstorfer , h . , 1911 : neue hesperiden des indo - malayischen faunengebietes und besprechung verwandter formen .

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eclosed at home from pupae collected while photographing the caterpillars ( see comments for caterpillar image ) . photographed at release ( background is sky ) .

skipper ( butterfly ) - richmond park , london , england - saturday july 12th 2008 .

yup . . . . as the title says . . . better days . . . it may only be 4 days since the death of my canon eos 400d . . . but it seems like a life time already . . : o ( (

at least i managed to capture a few images before the camera gave up the ghost , so you can expect a few dslr shots to go along side the fuji ones . . . compare and contrast as they say . . . lol . . . : o ) )

i hope your all having a great week . . . : o ) ) )

a skipper is a butterfly of the family hesperiidae ( superfamily hesperioidea ) , named after their quick , darting flight habits .

skippers differ in several important ways from the remaining butterflies , which are classified in the superfamily papilionoidea and the neotropical superfamily hedyloidea . collectively , these three groups of butterflies share several characteristics especially in the egg , larval and pupal stage ( ackery et al . 1999 ) . however , skippers have the antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet hook , whilst butterflies have club - like tips to their antennae and hedylids have feathered or pectinate antennae giving them an even more moth - like appearance than skippers . skippers also have generally stockier bodies than the other two groups , with stronger wing muscles . hesperioidea is very likely the sister group of papilionoidea , and together with hedyloidea constitute a natural group or clade .

there are about 3500 species of skippers . they are usually classified in the following subfamilies :

note : some authorities treat the giant skippers as a separate family , the megathymidae , but more modern classifications place them within the subfamily hesperiinae in the family hesperiidae .

many species of skippers look frustratingly alike . for example , some species in the genera erynnis , hesperia , and amblyscirtes cannot currently be distinguished in the field by experts , the only reliable method of telling them apart involving dissection and examination of the genitalia .

this is a hesperiid ( skipper ) caterpillar of the subfamily coeliadinae ( awls and awlets ) , hasora sp .

i can comprehend fake eyes and facial features as a defensive mechanism , but why would it resemble a human face , far removed from the head features of any insect ? startling nonetheless .

p1320394 - large cabbage whiteat at devalsari , uttarakhand , himalayas ~ 1800m altitude .

this is the only one species in the burara genus in taiwan , and with its vivid orange color and unique stripes , it ' s easy to identify .

it is distributed throughout the lowlands of the island and there are several broods in a year , so it ' s somewhat easy to meet them .

the male has a black spot in the upperside forewing , but it ' s very difficult to take a dorsal view of this butterfly . i would guess it ' s a male .

i am running low on new subject material due to the longstanding inclement and unpredictable wet weather on top of work commitments , so for the next few days i will do some reposts recognizing the top 30 most ' interesting ' images in my photostream as deemed by flickr ' s magic donkey algorithm ( in reverse order in batches of five to build the suspense ) .

coeliadinae is a subfamily of the skipper butterfly family ( hesperiidae ) and includes the awls and awlets .

the cutest butterfly i have ever photographed . it was a cloudy day and i was stalking a common red eye butterfly , i saw this sitting on the underside of a leaf . to the naked eye , it looked very dull orange . almost left it thinking it was a moth . but just took a photo with flash and bingo ! ! the rest is history . . .

check out this home i found on urltoken . follow urltoken on pinterest : urltoken | awlet | pinterest

the orange awlet is found in india , myanmar , malaysia , java , singapore , hong kong and north vietnam .

in india , the butterfly is found along the himalayas from sikkim to assam and eastwards to south myanmar . it also has been recorded from the andaman islands .

it is considered by william harry evans to be very rare in hong kong , rare in south india , but not rare in the himalayas .

male . upperside dull vinaceous brown , palest on the disk ; forewing with an orange yellow costal streak ; hindwing broadly along anterior margin pale buff yellow . body greyish . cilia of hindwing orange yellow . underside paler suffused with orange yellow ; forewing with a curved series of pale purple narrow streaks between the veins before the apex , and a broad pale buff patch along the posterior margin ; hindwing with the veins and lines between them and cilia orange yellow : a black orange yellow encircled basal spot on both wings ; a discal series of pale purplish streaks . third joint of palpi brown ; palpi beneath , front and sides of thorax , legs and streak alongside of abdomen orange yellow ; middle of thorax and abdomen and anal tuft orange yellow .

a total of 22 species belonging to four genera of the coeliadinae ( family hesperiidae ) , or the awls , awlets and awlkings , as they are commonly called , are found in india . these are relatively large skippers which inhabit dense forests , mostly evergreen , and have dicotyledonous host - plants . the vividly marked , smooth , cylindrical caterpillars construct cells from leaves within which they metamorphose into stout pupae . these skippers tend to synchronise egg - laying followed by migration , sometimes to sub - optimal habitats in search of fresh supplies of host - plants .

the awls and related genera have long , narrow forewings , rounded hindwings with a characteristic deep fold at the inner margin and produced at the tornus . the adult sexes are alike excepting that males have specialised scales and scent brands on the forewings . they have large labial palpi which have a thin third segment protruding ahead of the eye . the eyes are large , an adaptation to the crespuscular habits of this species .

this list forms part of the full list of butterflies of india ( hesperiidae ) which itself is part of the complete list of butterflies of india .

the common name similar awlking is that of taxon similis ( vide evans ( 1932 ) ) which is not recognised as a valid species by savela and by tolweb ( ref its page on genus choaspes ) . taxon similis is now considered to be a synonym of taxon xanthopogon .

the species is considered to be furcata by [ lepindex ] , and as furcatus by tolweb . savela gives it as furcatus without appropriate reference for the change . accordingly it is being retained as furcata , with furcatus as redirect , pending the availability of a proper reference .

hasora alexis ( fabricius , 1775 ) is a synonym of h . chromus vide lepindex

evans in the identification of indian butterflies , ( 1932 ) ( ser no i 1 . 9 , pp 224 ) records it as occurring in the nicobars .

evans in the identification of indian butterflies , ( 1932 ) ( ser no i 1 . 10 , pp 224 ) records it as occurring in the nicobars .

gay , thomas ; kehimkar , isaac david ; punetha , jagdish chandra ( 1992 ) .

. nature guides . bombay , india : world wide fund for nature - india by oxford university press .

watson , e . y . ( 1891 ) hesperiidae indicae . vest and co . madras .

beccaloni , george ; scoble , malcolm ; kitching , ian ; simonsen , thomas ; robinson , gaden ; pitkin , brian ; hine , adrian ; lyal , chris .

brower , andrew v . z . and warren , andrew , ( 2007 ) . coeliadinae evans 1937 . version 21 february 2007 ( temporary ) . urltoken in the tree of life web project , urltoken .

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original russian text © a . l . monastyrskii , 2009 , published in entomologicheskoe obozrenie , 2009 , vol . 88 , no . 3 , pp . 553–580 .

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, ed . by r . hall and j . holloway , ” ( backhuys publ . , leiden , 1998 ) , pp . 99–131 .

hirowatari , t . , “a generic classification of the tribe polyommatini of the oriental and australian regions ( lepidoptera , lycaenidae , polyommatinae ) , ” bull . univ . osaka pref . ser . b suppl .

holloway , j . d . , “a numerical investigation of the biogeography of the butterfly fauna of india and its relation to continental drift , ” biol . j . linn . soc .

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( dr . w . junk publishers , the hague , 1974 ) , pp . 473–499 .

holloway , j . d . and hall , r . , “se asian geology and biogeography : an introduction , ” in

, ed . by r . hall and j . holloway , ” ( backhuys publ . , leiden , 1998 ) , pp . 1–23 .

( masson et cie , paris , 1967 ; progress , moscow , 1976 ) [ in russian ] .

( harvard univ . press , cambridge , 1970 ; mir , moscow , 1974 ) [ in russian ] .

miller , l . d . , “the higher classification , phylogeny and zoogeography of the satyridae ( lepidoptera ) , ” mem . amer . entomol . soc . , no . 24 , 1–174 ( 1968 ) .

( geos , moscow — hanoi , 2003 ) , pp . 188–218 [ in russian ] .

monastyrskii , a . l . , “fauna , ecology and biogeography of butterflies in vietnam , ” butterflies , no . 44 , 41–55 ( 2006 ) .

monastyrskii , a . l . , “ecological and biogeographical characteristics of butterflies ( lepidoptera , rhopalocera ) of vietnam , ” entomol . obozr .

monastyrskii , a . l . and devyatkin , a . l . , “new taxa and new records of butterflies from vietnam ( lepidoptera , rhopalocera ) , ” atalanta

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, ed . by y . nishiyama ( mokuyo - sha , 1999 ) .

( cambridge univ . press , london , 1952 ; inostr . liter . , moscow , 1961 ) [ in russian ] .

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voris , h . k . , “maps of pleistocene sea levels in southeast asia : shorelines , river systems and time durations , ” j . biogeogr .

yamaguchi , s . and aoki , t . , “studies on the butterflies of the semi - dried tropical forest in east thailand iii . butterflies collected during the survey in the provinces of mukdahan and ubon ratchathani , august and september 1999 ( insecta : lepidoptera : rhopalocera ) , ” evol . sci . , no . 11 , 41–59 ( 2005 ) .

( nauka , leningrad , 1970 ) , pp . 29–88 [ in russian ] .

a total of 22 species belonging to four genera of the subfamily coeliadinae ( family hesperiidae ) , or the awls , awlets and awlkings , as they are commonly called , are found in india . these are relatively large skippers which inhabit dense forests , mostly evergreen , and have dicotyledonous host plants . the vividly marked , smooth , cylindrical caterpillars construct cells from leaves within which they metamorphose into stout pupae . these skippers tend to synchronise egg - laying followed by migration , sometimes to sub - optimal habitats in search of fresh supplies of host plants .

the awls and related genera have long , narrow forewings , rounded hindwings with a characteristic deep fold at the inner margin and produced at the tornus . the adult sexes are alike excepting that males have specialised scales and scent brands on the forewings . they have large labial palpi which have a thin third segment protruding ahead of the eye . the eyes are large , an adaptation to the crepuscular habits of this species .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " badamia exclamationis " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved april 20 , 2018 .

haribal , meena ( 1992 ) . the butterflies of sikkim himalaya and their natural history . gangtok , sikkim , india : sikkim nature conservation foundation .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " choaspes benjaminii " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " choaspes plateni " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " choaspes xanthopogon " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " choaspes hemixanthus ssp . furcata " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . accessed 12 october 2007 .

the species is considered to be furcata by lepindex , and as furcatus by tolweb . savela gives it as furcatus without appropriate reference for the change . accordingly it is being retained as furcata , with furcatus as redirect , pending the availability of a proper reference .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora anura " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

hasora alexis ( fabricius , 1775 ) is a synonym of h . chromus vide beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora chromus " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora chromus " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora taminatus " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora schoenherr " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora badra " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora vitta " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora khoda " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora leucospila " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 12 october 2007 .

beccaloni , g . ; scoble , m . ; kitching , i . ; simonsen , t . ; robinson , g . ; pitkin , b . ; hine , a . ; lyal , c . , eds . ( 2003 ) . " hasora salanga " . the global lepidoptera names index . natural history museum . retrieved 2 october 2007 .

evans , w . h . ( 1932 ) . the identification of indian butterflies ( 2nd ed . ) . mumbai , india : bombay natural history society .

gay , thomas ; kehimkar , isaac david ; punetha , jagdish chandra ( 1992 ) . common butterflies of india . nature guides . bombay , india : world wide fund for nature - india by oxford university press . isbn 978 - 0195631647 .

kunte , krushnamegh ( 2000 ) . butterflies of peninsular india . india , a lifescape . hyderabad , india : universities press . isbn 978 - 8173713545 .

wynter - blyth , mark alexander ( 1957 ) . butterflies of the indian region . bombay , india : bombay natural history society . isbn 978 - 8170192329 .

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the orange awlet is found in india , myanmar , malaysia , java , singapore , hong kong and north vietnam . [ 2 ]

in india , the butterfly is found along the himalayas from sikkim to assam and eastwards to south myanmar . it also has been recorded from the andaman islands . [ 2 ] [ 4 ]

it is considered by william harry evans to be very rare in hong kong , rare in south india , but not rare in the himalayas . [ 4 ]

. upperside dark purple brown ; the base of wings greyish , with steel blue gloss . body greyish . cilia of hindwing pale orange yellow . underside as in male ; posterior margin of forewing with a less defined pale patch .

the larva has been recorded on zingiber zerumbet ( zingiberaceae ) . [ 2 ]

brower , andrew v . z . and warren , andrew , ( 2007 ) . coeliadinae evans 1937 . version 21 february 2007 ( temporary ) . urltoken in the tree of life web project , urltoken

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