Muscovy Duck

The Muscovy Duck is a large, heavy-bodied waterfowl native to the tropical lowlands of Mexico, Central America, and South America. Wild birds are mostly glossy blackish-green with white patches on the wings (more extensive in males), a long tail, and males have bare, warty red or blackish facial skin and a small crest. Domesticated and feral Muscovy Ducks, common on ponds in parks and urban areas worldwide, show far more variable plumage, often mixing white, black, and pied patterns.

Males are considerably larger than females and are among the heaviest ducks in the world, with a slow, powerful flight quite different from most other waterfowl.

Key field marks

• Large, heavy body with a long tail and broad wings
• Wild-type plumage: glossy blackish-green with white wing patches, more extensive in males
• Bare, warty red or dark facial skin, more pronounced in males, with a small ragged crest
• Feral/domestic birds show highly variable plumage including all-white, pied, and buff forms

Similar species

No other duck shares the combination of large size, bare red facial skin, and glossy black-green plumage; feral flocks in parks (often white or pied) are easily recognized by their bulky shape and caruncled face even when plumage color varies widely from the wild form.

In its native range, the Muscovy Duck inhabits wooded wetlands, rivers, ponds, and lagoons in tropical lowland forest from Mexico south through much of South America, typically roosting and nesting in trees. Long domesticated, feral and semi-domestic populations are now widespread on ponds, parks, and urban waterways well outside the native range, including much of the United States and other countries.

Behavior

Muscovy Ducks are strong, direct fliers despite their bulk and are also capable of perching and roosting in trees, an unusual trait among ducks. Feral populations are often tame and approachable around human settlements.

Voice

Mostly silent; males give a low, breathy hissing sound rather than typical duck quacks, while females give quiet, weak quacking notes.

Feeding

Omnivorous, eating plant material, seeds, aquatic vegetation, and small invertebrates and other small animals gleaned from water and land.

Nesting

Nests in tree cavities or dense vegetation, often well above ground in its native range; clutches can be large, with females capable of raising sizeable broods.