A river duck (
Spatula clypeata), native of Europe and America. It has a large bill, broadest towards the tip. The male is handsomely variegated with green, blue, brown, black, and white on the body; the head and neck are dark green. Called also
broadbill,
spoonbill,
shovelbill, and
maiden duck. The Australian shoveler, or shovel-nosed duck (
S. rhynchotis), is a similar species. [
1913 Webster]