last Labrador duck

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Pair of Labrador ducks:
painting by John Gerrand Keulemans 

The Labrador duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius), was a black and white eider-like sea duck that was probably never common (a recipe for disaster). The rather handsome waterfowl is believed to be the first bird to become extinct in North America after 1500. 

Since the duck itself was considered "bad tasting,"—a pretty good trait to have if you are an easy-to-shoot duck—it is believed that its eggs were over-harvested, which led to its ultimate demise. No eggs, no ducks to make more eggs.

On this dubious date: December 12, 133 years ago today, the last Labrador duck is believed to have been seen at Elmira, New York in 1878; the last preserved specimen was shot in 1875 on Long Island. It was thought to breed in Labrador, although no nests were ever described, and it wintered from Nova Scotia to as far south as Chesapeake Bay.

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