DABBLING DUCKS:  Have you ever known a duck to dabble? 
They do – and we have details on Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas 

What do gadwalls…pintails…teal…wigeons… redheads 
and 07 (SFX…northern shoveler) shovelers have in common?  

That’s right. They’re ducks…waterfowl. They’re also game 
birds. But the similarities don’t end there. These fowl are 
further grouped by another characteristic.

03—There’re two different types of ducks, there’re dabblers 
and there’re divers. 

Dave Morrison is the waterfowl program leader at Parks 
and Wildlife.  Neither of the descriptions—diver nor 
dabbler—fully conveys what to expect from these birds. 

14—And the difference is the way they feed. How they’re bodies 
are made up. Dabblers tend to have their feet more centered, 
whereas, divers are in the back of the body. Dabblers jump, 
spring into the air, whereas diving ducks pitter patter along the 
water.

Still not sure whether you would be able to distinguish a 
dabbling duck from a diving duck? Then, consider the 
following next time you see a flock of fowl feeding at a 
lake, stock pond or reservoir:

 08 (SFX…northern shoveler shoving off) 

Dabblers feed at or near the water’s surface by filtering 
food… and they often tip upside down in the water to 
reach food at the bottom of a pond. 

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti. 






Total sound bite time:			0:23.0
Maximum Script time:			0:62.0	         	          Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25