Summary
- Natural history: The Northern Shoveler is one of the few North American ducks built for filter-feeding, straining small invertebrates from the water with a fringed tongue and comb-like ridges along its bill. Vermont’s only confirmed nest came in 1962 at North Hero and was destroyed by a predator before hatching, and no nest has been confirmed anywhere in the state since. Suitable habitat doesn’t appear to be the limiting factor, so the more likely explanation is that Vermont simply lies too far from the heart of the shoveler’s western breeding range to ever host more than the rare pair.
- Status in VT: Very rare breeder. One Probable during first Atlas. Three Probables during second Atlas.
- Data from other research: No additional data for VT.
- Conservation status: State rank SNA
- Other atlases: NY: 32%; PA: possibly extirpated;ON: non-sig. increase
- VT’s role in North American range: VT is disjunct from the main breeding range.
- Causes of change since first Atlas: Minimal change.
- Management/Monitoring recommendations:No current recommendations.
Population Trends
graph coming
First Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (1976-1981)
coming
Second Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (2003 – 2007)
coming
Change in Distribution
coming
Links
