Marianas mallard / Ngånga'
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Marianas mallard / Ngånga'
Anas oustaleti
Extinct
The Mariana Mallard, or "ngånga' " as it was known locally, was the only wild duck to nest in the Marianas. It also lived on Tinian and Saipan, but nowhere else. It became extinct because of overhunting and the loss of freshwater marshes. The last sighting on Guam was in 1967 near the U. S. Naval Station. The last birds on Saipan were seen in 1979, when three were caught for a captive breeding program. Unfortunately, the birds did not reproduce.
Ngånga' usually lived in pairs or small groups, although flocks of 50 were occasionally seen. The birds ate plants, seeds and insects.
Guam Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 9/27/2005
