The population rise and rise of a chunkily-built duck formerly not common on British waters

                                                                      

                                                             

Shoveler - increasingly common duck at freshwater sites 

THE extraordinary increase in Britain's Shoveler numbers shows no signs of abating.

According to the latest survey, as recorded in the authoritative Waterbirds in the UK 2024/25 survey, its population has soared by 82 per cent over the past 25 years.

More and more birds are turning up at sites which they previously shunned - for instance, ornamental and recreational waters in urban locations.

Gadwall have also increased over the same period while another species, Pintail, has halted its 25-year decline, rising by 39 per cent over the past 10 years.

However, most winter-seen duck species are being seen less frequently in British waters during winter than in previous years

These include Scaup, Eider and Goldeneye.

Pochard numbers have plummeted by 33 per cent over the past  10 years and by 72 per cent over the past 25 years.

It is thought some of these species are spending winter in countries such Germany and Netherlands which, as a result of climate change, have become warmer and  are closer to their Northern Europe breeding haunts than the UK.