Northern Shoveler

With its comically oversized bill—a specialized scoop perfectly evolved for filter-feeding—the Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) moves through shallow waters like a living sieve. This dabbling duck’s distinctive profile cuts a curious silhouette: the male’s iridescent green head and chestnut flanks gleam like polished lacquer, while females wear subtler strokes of mottled brown, nature’s perfect camouflage.