Christmas Summer

A close-up view of a male northern shoveler in his summer plumage (but taken on Christmas)

Male shovelers transition through several different plumages in a year. According to my Sibley guide, this male’s plumage would typically be on display during the summer, but I took this picture on Christmas day. The males have lovely green heads in their breeding plumage, but in this look resemble the females in many ways.

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