Sporting Gun UK – May 2019

MAY 2019SPORTING GUN 35

IN THE FIELD

Quarry Guide

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Theduck ’sbillis

highlyspecialisedto

sieve water for food

DISTRIBUTION:Commonand

widespread,breedingacross

northernEurope,NorthernAsia

andNorthAmerica and wintering

furthersouth.

UKDISTRIBUTION:Presentall

yearbutmostlyasa wintervisitor.

MostcommonlyfoundinEast

Angliaandcentral and southern

England.

BREEDING:ApriltoJune.Drakes

areveryterritorialduringthe

breedingseasonandwillcompete

activelyforfemales.Oncepaired,

theywilldefendtheirpartners

fromothermales.

NESTING:Preferstonestingrassy

areasawayfromopenwater.The

nestisa shallowdepressioninthe

groundlinedwith down and plant

material.

CLUTCHSIZE: 7 - 10eggs,

sometimesmore.

INCUBATIONTIME:22/23days

FOOD:Aquaticinvertebrates,

plankton,molluscs, seeds and

plants

H A B I TAT:Shallowfreshwater

surroundedbyvegetationis

preferred.Frequentlyfound on

fensandopenmarshes.

LENGTH(AVERAGE):50cm

WINGSPAN(AVERAGE):80cm

WEIGHT(AVERAGE):750g,

femalesslightlyless

FLIGHT SPEED:40 mph

SHOVELER FACTS

reputedtohavewhensittingoneggsis,if

flushedfromhernestbya predator,shewill

defecateontheeggs,presumablytomake

themlessattractiveasa fooditem.

Theshovelerhassomethingofa mixed

reputationasfarasitstablequalitiesare

concerned,probablyasa resultofa diet

thattendstocontainmoreanimalmatter

thanthatofmanyotherducks.Muchwill

dependonwhatthebirdhasbeenfeeding

on.ThenaturalistThomasBewick,writingin

theearly19thcentury,considereditsflesh

assecondtononebutothersconsiderthe

meattobemuddyintaste,evensuggesting

thatnoteventheirdogwouldtouchit.A

commonlyofferedtiptoimprovethetaste

istosoakthebreastmeatinmilkorsalted

waterfortwoorthreedaysinthe fridge,

changing the liquid daily.