Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Cape Shoveler

Spatula smithii

Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Africa.

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The Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 591 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Spatula
Species smithii

Where it lives

Namibia, Botswana and South Africa

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 591 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Cape Shoveler hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Cape Shoveler is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 591 g, with a wing length of about 22.9 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.4 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Cape Shoveler?

The Cape Shoveler is a large bird that weighs around 591 g.

Where does the Cape Shoveler live?

The Cape Shoveler is found across Africa with a range covering AF Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Cape Shoveler belong to?

The Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Cape Shoveler eat?

The Cape Shoveler hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Cape Shoveler migrate?

The Cape Shoveler is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Cape Shoveler endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

How large is the Cape Shoveler's range?

The Cape Shoveler has a mapped global range of about 2.4 million km².