26. Labrador Duck
The Labrador duck was a North American bird that lived in the New England area. It is distinct in that it is the first bird native to North America to become extinct after the Columbia Exchange, which was the period of time where human populations, plants, animals, culture, and ideas were transferred among the Americas, the Old World, and West Africa beginning in the 15th century. The last known Labrador duck was seen in Elmira, New York, in 1878.
The Labrador duck was a sea duck that migrated every year from colder climates like New Jersey and New England for warm, sandy shores in Canada. These birds had small bodies and oblong heads with tiny, beady eyes. Typically the Labrador duck fed on small mollusks and mussels.