Laysan

The Laysan duck (American Ornithologists Union 1998), also known as the Laysan teal, is a small (38.1 to 43.2 centimeters [15 to 17 inches] in length, weight 420 to 500 grams [14.8 to 17.6 ounces]), mostly chocolate-brown duck with contrasting bi-colored body feathers (USFWS 1982; Moulton and Marshall 1996). It has an iridescent purplish-green speculum (wing patch) and a prominent white eye ring. There is considerable individual variation in plumage. The eye ring is nearly absent on juvenile birds, and becomes more extensive and irregular in adults. Leucism, or extensive white feathering, is common on the head and neck, especially in birds older than 3 years. The plumage of both sexes is quite similar, but bill and leg coloring can be used to distinguish sexes.