Muscovy Duck
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Cairina moschata
Population size
50-500 Thou
Life Span
8-20 years
Weight
1-4
2.2-8.8
kglbs
kg lbs 
Length
66-84
26-33.1
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
137-152
53.9-59.8
cminch
cm inch 

The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to the Americas. Although it is a tropical bird, it adapts well to cooler climates, thriving in weather as cold as −12 °C (10 °F) and able to survive even colder conditions.

Di

Diurnal

Om

Omnivore

Se

Semiaquatic

Wa

Waterfowl

Pr

Precocial

Gr

Grazing

Na

Natatorial

Te

Terrestrial

Te

Territorial

Co

Congregatory

Ov

Oviparous

Po

Polygyny

So

Social

Do

Dominance hierarchy

No

Not a migrant

Do

Domesticated

M

starts with

Appearance

Muscovy ducks are large birds. They are predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both, the males and the females of this species have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.

Video

Distribution

Geography

Muscovy ducks are found in Mexico and Central and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations occur in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada. Feral Muscovy ducks are also found in New Zealand, Australia, and parts of Europe. These birds usually inhabit wet forests, forested swamps, wetlands, lakes, rivers, streams, and nearby grassland and farm crops.

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Muscovy ducks are agile and speedy birds. They are non-migratory and are active during the day; at night birds often roost in trees. Days are spent feeding by grazing on the ground or dabbling in shallow water. Muscovy ducks are social birds; they are often seen in pairs or small groups. They are aggressive ducks; males often fight over food, territory, or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will even peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source. In order to communicate with each other, Muscovy ducks wag their tails, raise and lower their heads and use various vocalizations including hisses and quacks. Males have a low breathy call, and females produce a quiet trilling coo.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Muscovy ducks are omnivores; their diet consists of plant material, small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
August-May
INCUBATION PERIOD
35 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
60-70 days
FEMALE NAME
duck
MALE NAME
drake
BABY NAME
duckling
web.animal_clutch_size
8-16 eggs

Muscovy ducks are polygynous and do not form stable pairs. The dominant male mates only with those females that nest in his territory. The breeding usually takes place from August to May. The female lays a clutch of 8-16 white eggs, usually in a tree hole or hollow, which are incubated for 35 days. During incubation the female leaves her nest once a day to drink water, eat, and sometimes bathe. Once the eggs begin to hatch it may take 24 hours for all the ducklings to break through their shells. Ducklings are born precocial (fully developed). For the first few weeks of their lives, they feed on grains, corn, grass, insects, and almost anything that moves. Their mother instructs them at an early age how to feed. Often, the male will stay in close contact with the brood for several weeks. The male will walk with the young during their normal travels in search of food, providing protection. Ducklings usually stay with their mother for around 60 to 70 days, until they become independent. Female Muscovy ducks reach reproductive maturity at 28 weeks of age while males become reproductively mature when they are 29 weeks old.

Population

Population threats

The main threats to Muscovy ducks include hunting, egg-collecting, and habitat loss. Another threat to the wild species comes from the hybridization with domestic birds.

Population number

According to the IUCN Red List, the total Muscovy duck population size is 50,000-499,999 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.

Ecological niche

Muscovy ducks are important in their habitats as predators of aquatic and terrestrial vegetation and animals, thus controlling their populations. These birds are also an important food source for local predators.

Domestication

Muscovy ducks had been domesticated by various Native American cultures in the Americas when Columbus arrived in the Bahamas. The first few were brought onto the Columbus ship Santa Maria they then sailed back to Europe by the 16th century. Muscovy ducks have been domesticated for centuries, and are widely traded as "Barbary duck". Muscovy breeds are popular because they have stronger-tasting meat than the usual domestic ducks. Muscovy ducks are also less noisy and sometimes marketed as a "quackless" duck. Domesticated Muscovy ducks often have plumage features differing from other wild birds. White breeds are preferred for meat production, as darker ones can have much melanin in the skin, which some people find unappealing.

DOMESTICATION STATUS Domesticated

Fun Facts for Kids

  • "Muscovy" is an old name for the region of Russia surrounding Moscow, but these ducks neither are native there nor were introduced there before they became known in Western Europe. It is not quite clear how the term came about; it very likely originated between 1550 and 1600 but did not become widespread until somewhat later.
  • In some regions the name Barbary duck is used for domesticated and "Muscovy duck" for wild birds. In general, "Barbary duck" is the usual term for this species in a culinary context.
  • In South America, Muscovy ducks are often called "Musco ducks" because they eat many mosquitos.
  • The domestic Muscovy duck is commonly known in Spanish as the 'pato criollo'. Other names for the domestic breed in Spanish are 'pato casero' ('backyard duck') and 'pato mudo' ('mute duck').

References

1. Muscovy Duck on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscovy_duck
2. Muscovy Duck on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22680061/131911211
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/705872
4. Video creator - https://avibirds.com

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