Laysan Duck

Giclee by Marian Berger

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Laysan Duck - Anatidae Anas laysanensis

No other English name.

From the series of thirty-three prints, Living Endemic Birds of Hawaii, by Marian Berger.

From wikipedia.org: "The Laysan Duck (Anas laysanensis), also known as the Laysan Teal because of its small size, is an endangered dabbling duck endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Fossil evidence reveals that Laysan Ducks once lived across the entire archipelago, but today survive only on three small, isolated islands. The Laysan Duck is teal-sized and dark brown, with a prominent white eye-ring. The bill is short and spatulate, dark green with variable black blotching in males, and dull orange with variable black blotching in females."

The Laysan duck uses different habitats during various times of the day. It tends to hide in dense vegetation by day, moving at night to feed along the edge of the island's central, hyper-saline lake. Laysan ducks are energetic foragers that sprint through brine fly swarms, snapping their bill to snatch the tiny insects. They also feed on sedge, grass seeds, and some algae. According to fossil evidence, the Laysan ducks once lived across the entire Hawaiian Archipelago.

Copyright Marian Berger. All rights reserved; images are protected under US copyright laws and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner.


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