They are widespread in Europe and Asia, breeding from Iceland east through Great Britian and France to Siberia. The Winter range is Japan, sotuh-east Asia, Africa and southern Europe. Despite the large range, there are no subspecies. The clumsy looking bill seen on both sexes, black in drakes and brown in hens, is a very important tool when feeding. They use the bill, which has well developed, fine lamellae along the edges, to sieve out tiny food food particles it gathers from the water.
Male shovelers are very attractive birds.
The head and neck is metallic green, the breast is white and he has bright chestnut sides and flanks. The hen is much like other Anas species, but with a noticeably larger bill. Breeding Shovelers need lots of thick vegetation to build and hide their nests. The breeding season begins in late April and may last until early June. Hens lay a cltuch of about 9 to 12 that are incubated for about 26 days.