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NORTHERN SHOVELER
 BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NORTHERN SHOVELER
TAXONOMY
KINGDROM: ANIMALIA
PHYLUM: CHORDATA
SUBPHYLUM: VERTEBRATA
CLASS: BIRDS
ORDER: ANSERIFORMES
FAMILY: ANATIDAE
GENUS: Anas
SPECIES: clypeata
IT MEASURES FROM 43 TO 51 cm.. THEY SHOW A PEAK IN A SHAPE OF A SPOON OR SHOVEL, THAT IS THE REASON OF THE NAME. MALES DISPLAY A GREEN HEAD, WHITE BELLY AND BROWN WINGS. FEMALES ARE BROWN WITH WHITE SPOTS OVER THE WINGS.
THEY BUILD THEIR NEST LITTLE FAR FROM THE WATER, OVER THE GRASS AND LAY FROM 6 TO 14 PALE GREEN EGGS. INCUBATION LASTS FROM 22 TO 25 DAYS. THEY ONLY REPRODUCE ONCE A YEAR.
THEY ARE COMPLETELY FEATHERED AT THEIR 36 TO 48 DAYS OLD.
THEIR DIET IS BASED ON PLANTS AND SEEDS AND SOME AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES.
THEY LIVE IN MOIST SOILS. THEY CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN SALINE LAGOONS. THEY REPRODUCE IN ALASKA, SOUTHEAST MANITOBA, SOUTH CALIFORNIA AND DURING THE WINTER THEY ARE LOCATED ALL THE WAY TO CENTRAL AMERICA. IT IS AN ABUNDANT DUCK IN THE STUDY ZONE.
THEIR SPRING MIGRATION STARTS LATER THAN OTHERS, WHICH IS WHY IT IS ONE OF THE DUCKS THAT STAYS MORE IN THE STUDY ZONE AND THE WINTER MIGRATION STARTS FROM THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER TO DECEMBER.
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COMMON NAME: NORTHERN SHOVELER
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Anas clypeata
TYPE OF GAIN: Cinegetic
TYPE OF MARKING: HUNTING LICENSE
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CHRONOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN SHOVELER
MONTHS
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ACTIVITY
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J
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F
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M
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A
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M
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J
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J
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A
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S
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O
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N
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D
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COURTSHIP
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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SPRING MIGRATION
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X
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X
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X
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X
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NESTING
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X
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X
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X
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WINTER MIGRATION
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|
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X
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X
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X
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X
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