[2][3] It ranges from Tierra del Fuego northwards to Chile and most parts of Argentina, as well as to the Falkland Islands; there are small, isolated breeding populations in the southern regions of Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

It inhabits shallow lakes and pools with dense reed beds, intertidal mangrove swamps and marshes.

The bill is equipped with a lamellate filtering mechanism that allows the extraction of small items of food from the water.

[3] Red shovelers are partially migratory, with the southernmost birds migrating north during the winter season.

[4] The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its extremely large range and apparently overall stable population.