Description Often mistaken for a mallard the Koloa Maoli adult males and females are similarly mottled brown overall. The males have darker head and neck feathers, olive colored bills and bright orange feet. The slightly smaller female has an orange bill and dull orange feet. They both have an emerald green to blue speculums, the inner flight feathers. The Hawaiian Duck can be identified when flying overhead as it elongates its neck and makes a flapping motion instead of gliding as many ducks do.

Lifecycle At on year of age the Hawaiian Duck will start breeding. The mating season is year round but peaks between December through May. Deep down-lined nests on the ground are venerable to predators. The females lays from two to ten brown speckled eggs and the incubation lasts for 28-30 days. The male usually deserts the nest prior to the hatching.

Habitat The Hawaiian duck is a bird of a wide variety of aquatic habitats from sea level in Kawai Nui Marsh to 8000 feet on the island of Kauai.

Diet An opportunistic, omnivorous feeder the Koloa Maoli each a wide variety of plants and animals. These include dragonfly larvae, crustaceans, earthworms, snails to green algae, grasses and sedge seeds.