Photo: Grahame / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Australasian Shoveler

Spatula rhynchotis

Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia & Oceania.

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Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of New Zealand Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of the United Kingdom Ducks, Geese & Swans of New Zealand Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australian Capital Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of New South Wales Ducks, Geese & Swans of Northern Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of Queensland Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tasmania Ducks, Geese & Swans of Victoria

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The Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 639 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 rhynchotis

Where it lives

Southern Australia, Tasmania and North and South Is. (New Zealand)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 639 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Pink-eared Duck

Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Australasian 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 Australasian Shoveler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU s Australia, Tasmania and North and South Is. (New Zealand).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 639 g, with a wing length of about 22.4 cm and a tail of around 7.1 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 4.5 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Australasian Shoveler?

The Australasian Shoveler is a large bird that weighs around 639 g.

Where does the Australasian Shoveler live?

The Australasian Shoveler is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU s Australia, Tasmania and North and South Is. (New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Australasian Shoveler belong to?

The Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Australasian Shoveler eat?

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

Does the Australasian Shoveler migrate?

The Australasian Shoveler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Australasian 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 Australasian Shoveler's range?

The Australasian Shoveler has a mapped global range of about 4.5 million km².