Identifier: birdsofwashingto02daws (find matches)
Title: The birds of Washington : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 372 species of birds found in the state
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Dawson, William Leon, 1873-1928 Bowles, John Hooper Brooks, Allan, 1869-1946
Subjects: Birds -- Washington (State)
Publisher: Seattle : Occidental Pub. Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Taken in Spokane County. Telephoto by IV. H. IVriglit. FEMALE SHOVELLER. are eaten, but insects, tadpoles, snails, and small fish are a preferred diet. Muchof the birds f(^()d is seciued in the shallow water or mud, which is scooped uplil)er;dl\- and sifted thru the lamelhe of the beak until nnh- edible portions areretained. In spite of this diet the Sho\ellers flesh is seldom or never fishy,and so far as flavor is concerned it makes a welcome addition to the table. For some unknown reason Sho\ellers seldom become \er\ fat, as do mostother ducks : and thev aie not on this account \-cry much sought after l)\- sports-
Text Appearing After Image:
Taken in Doiig/os Coinily. Photo by the Author. NEST AND EGGS (UNDISTURBED) OF THE SHOVEELER. 782 THE SHOVELLER. men. Their most striking cliaraclcrislic fmni the luiincrs slaiidiKjint is curi-osit)—this anil artless innocence. I f there i.^ anything unusual going on in theswamp, the Shoveller wants to see. It is. therefore, the easiest of birds to(lecov. Once when Mr. Bowless dog was retrieving ;i dnck in open water, adrake Shcneller came tl\-ing np. noted something interesting, ;md settledpromptly within a foot oi dog anil hinl. llo\ve\er, if frightened, or on afhwav. it recjuires a good shot to bring a Sho\-eller to bag. as it is almost asswift awing as any of the teals. The plumage of this duck is \ery handsome, ami some of its features areof special interest to the bird-student. Thus the markings of the drake com-bine in a striking degree the essential characters of lioth the )\Iallard and theBlue-winged Teal. Its head is of iridescent green, its Inwerp.irts are chestnut,and it

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