Labrador Duck

The Labrador duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius) is an extinct North American duck species. It has the distinction of being the first known endemic North American bird species to become extinct after the Columbian Exchange, with the last reported sighting occurring in 1878 in Elmira, New York, and the last preserved specimen was shot in the fall of 1875 in Long Island, New York, by J.G. Bell. It was already a rare duck before European settlers arrived, and as a result of its rarity, information on the Labrador duck is not abundant, although some, such as its habitat, characteristics, dietary habits and reasons behind its extinction, are known. There are 55 specimens of the Labrador duck preserved in museum collections around the globe.

Taxonomy