shoveler

shov·el·er

noun \ˈshə-və-lər, ˈshəv-lər\

Definition of SHOVELER

1

: one that shovels

2

: any of several freshwater ducks (genus Anas) that have a large very broad bill and feed by dabbling

Variants of SHOVELER

shov·el·er or shov·el·ler \ˈshə-və-lər, ˈshəv-lər\

First Known Use of SHOVELER

15th century

shoveler

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of four species (genus Anas, family Anatidae) of dabbling ducks having a long, spoon-shaped bill. The migratory northern shoveler (A. clypeata) inhabits shallow marshes and lagoons in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The male has a green head, white breast, chestnut belly and sides, and a blue patch on the forewing. It uses its bill to sift small organisms and seeds from the mud; in deeper waters, it skims the surface for plankton. The other species are the South American red shoveler (A. platalea); the Cape, or Smith's, shoveler (A. smithii) of South Africa; and the Australasian, or blue-winged, shoveler (A. rhynchotis).