The Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana) or koloa is a species of bird in the family Anatidae that is endemic to the large islands of Hawaiʻi. Taxonomically, the koloa is closely allied with the mallard (A. platyrhynchos). It differs in that it is monomorphic (with similarly marked males and females) and non-migratory. As with many duck species in the genus Anas, Hawaiian duck and mallards can interbreed and produce viable offspring, and the koloa has previously been considered an island subspecies of the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). However, all major authorities now consider this form to be a distinct species within the mallard complex. Recent analyses indicate that this is a distinct species that arose through ancient hybridization between mallard and the Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis). The native Hawaiian name for this duck is koloa maoli (meaning "native duck"), or simply koloa. This species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and its population trend is increasing.
Hawaiian duck in the context of Niʻihau
Niʻihau, sometimes written Niihau, is the seventh largest island in Hawaii and the westernmost of the main islands. It is 17.5 miles (28.2 km) southwest of Kauaʻi across the Kaulakahi Channel. Its area is 69.5 square miles (180 km). Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian coot, the Hawaiian stilt, and the Hawaiian duck. The island is designated as critical habitat for Brighamia insignis, an endemic and endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid. The United States Census Bureau defines Niihau and the neighboring island and State Seabird Sanctuary of Lehua as Census Tract 410 of Kauaʻi County, Hawaii. Its 2010 census population was 170, most of them native Hawaiians. As of the 2020 census, the population had fallen to 84. The people of Niʻihau are noted for their gemlike lei pūpū (shell lei) craftsmanship. They speak Hawaiian as a primary language.
Elizabeth Sinclair purchased Niʻihau in 1864 for US$10,000 from the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. The island's private ownership passed on to her descendants, the Robinsons.
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