Spatula discors is a medium-sized duck that breeds throughout much of North America, including Canada, the United States, and parts of northern Mexico. During migration, it travels thousands of miles to wintering grounds that extend from the southern U.S. through Central America and the Caribbean to the northern regions of South America. It frequents freshwater marshes, shallow lakes, flooded fields, and slow-moving streams, often favoring habitats with abundant aquatic vegetation. While generally associated with wild wetlands, it is also commonly seen in manmade water bodies near agricultural areas and suburban parks.

Males in breeding plumage have a distinctive powder-blue patch on the forewing, a white crescent in front of the eye, and a dark head with a greenish sheen, while females and nonbreeding males are mottled brown with a similar blue patch. Both sexes have large spatula-shaped bills adapted for filter-feeding on aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material. The species is about 16 inches long with a wingspan of approximately 23 inches. It exhibits a unique feeding behavior, often seen swimming in tight circles to stir up food from the water. During migration, it forms large flocks, sometimes mixing with other species. Nesting occurs on the ground in dense vegetation near water, where the female lays 9 to 12 eggs and tends to the young alone. Despite its long migratory routes, the species shows high site fidelity to wintering and breeding locations.

The global population of Spatula discors is estimated to exceed 6 million individuals and is currently stable, with no evidence of serious long-term declines. The species is commonly hunted for sport in North America under regulated conditions, and it is one of the most harvested duck species in the United States.