birding-aus

Re: Shoveler Feeding question.

To: "Eric Hocking" <>, "Birding-Aus" <>
Subject: Re: Shoveler Feeding question.
From: "Robert Berry" <>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 13:00:02 +1000
Dear Eric

HANZAB is a bit big for your hand luggage so I've opened mine on your
behalf.

Anas rhyncotis, Australasian Shoveler - "Food obtained by dabbling in mud
or at surface where lamellae on on fringe of spatulate bill used to filter
food from water.........Small flocks often feed in V-formation, those in
front disturbing food that those behind catch."

No great encouragement there but intriguingly under Social Organisation a
hint.......
"Flocks often pack closely , birds swimming in circles or moving across
area tail-to-tail, constantly filter feeding.."

Perhaps moving tail-to-tail helps to cancel out the Coriolis effect.

Regards

Rob

----------
> From: Eric Hocking <>
> To: Birding-Aus <>
> Subject: Shoveler Feeding question.
> Date: Tuesday, 28 July 1998 17:43
> 
> I apologise if this post seems a little trivial to some here, but I'm
> currently out of the country and the only books I have are field guides
to
> the UK and the US.
> 
> I believe that Steve is seriously asking this question and I have to
profess
> in having complete ignorance in the feeding habits of Shovelers.
> 
> Here's his post in it's entirety from rec.birds.  Steve's posting from
> Oregon.
> 
>  wrote:
> > High-Cuisine is a Matter of Taste:
> > 
> >      Although it's Summer, that garden-spot of the duck world,
> > our local sewage lagoon, has plenty of Shovelers in attendance.
> > Located at a community college in the countryside, the many
> > tiny life-forms in this fertile water make up the bulk of this
> > species' diet.  Their large bills have efficient strainers to
> > separate out this mixture of microscopic plant and animal life.
> 
> This is the interesting point:
> 
> > They have a special trick to bring their food to the surface.
> > Two or more Shovelers will swim clockwise in tight circles,
> > with their bills busily working the water.  The swimming action
> > causes the water to well up from below, bringing more food
> > within reach.  I've seen as many as 30 of these ducks having
> > a real feeding-frenzy in one big circle.  There is a very
> > precise protocol for entering and leaving the circle, without
> > disrupting the continuity.  The one question that is burning
> > in my mind: Do the Shovelers in the Southern Hemisphere swim
> > counter-clockwise?  
> 
> OK, I know he's referring to an extremely prevalent misconception about
> water draining in opposite directions in the two hemispheres, and may in
> fact be trolling me, but;
> 
> > Perhaps Eric Hocking or some other resident
> > of Oz can answer this.
> 
> Any takers?  Amongst the triviality of it all, *I'd* be interested in the
> feeding habits of the Australian bird.
> 
> --
> Eric Hocking
> "A closed mouth gathers no feet"
> ==   Melbourne, Australia   ==
> http://www.ozemail.com.au/~ehocking
> 
> 

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