| Laysan Duck | ||||||||||||||
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| Anas laysanensis |
The Laysan Duck, Anas laysanensis, is a dabbling duck which is endemic to Laysan Island, Hawaii. These ducks are related to the Mallard, and have sometimes been considered to be an island race of that species.
These are very small brown ducks with a darker head and a white eye patch. The wings are whitish below, and dark above. The legs are orange. The male shows a white-bordered green speculum in flight, whereas the female has a less obvious brown speculum. The male and female have calls similar to the Mallard.
Laysan Island is only 3km long, and the population of this duck is based on the brackish central lagoon. It feeds by picking plant food as it walks, mainly in the evening or at night. It nests on the ground under bushes near the lagoon. It is gregarious outside the breeding season.
This is a tame species on the island, which is a nature reserve. Its population was reduced to only seven birds by 1912 due to shooting by guano miners and plumage collectors, and introduced rabbit. The eggs of the last female were destroyed by a Bristle-thighed Curlew.
Protection, eradication of the rabbits, and captive breeding have restored the numbers to about 500 ducks, about the maximum this tiny island can support.