Male or Female?

Please if possible look at links before replying.

I think only breeding males have the dark green heads and orange sides, and we don't have any breeding males in Florida, according to the habitat maps. 

Some images of nonbreeding males are here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartwildlife/6710231645

http://tailsofbirding.blogspot.com/2012/01/dabbler-id-for-4.html (scroll down a bit)

http://thebirdersreport.com/world-bird-wednesday-2/northern-shovelers-have-a-very-distinctive-bill

I therefore had thought this was a nonbreeding male.  Am I wrong?

I've seen male shovelers in Florida. Where there are females (like this one, I believe) , there are males!  :-)

Didn't have time to check your links out yet..

Sandy

 

I think you're probably right, Barbara.  Looking at the field guides and the link you provided, the head certainly looks like a non-breeding male, though Sibley says that plumage should only be from May to August and by now the males should be in breeding plumage.

Here is another explanation of the colors, along with a map.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shoveler/id