Wildlifeof Malaysia
Muscovy Duck
Ducks, Geese & Grebes
Photo: no rights reserved · CC0 1.0
Cairina moschata
Basic stats
Range
Native to the Americas, from Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay; domesticated and feral elsewhere
Size
Males 76–84cm; females 71–76cm
Wingspan
137–152cm
Weight
Males up to 3–4kg; females about 1.25kg
The Muscovy duck is native to the Americas, from the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay, and has been domesticated; feral birds occur in many places, including New Zealand, Australia and Europe. The plumage is predominantly black with large white wing patches, iridescent and glossy in males and more drab in females. It has long claws and a wide, flat tail, the male has a short crest on the nape, and the bill is black with pale pink speckling. Males are 76–84 cm long and weigh up to 3–4 kg, females 71–76 cm and about 1.25 kg (Wikipedia, general species account).
The drake has a low breathy call and the hen a quiet trilling coo. Its presence in Southeast Asia is as a domestic or feral bird, not a native one (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- Where is the Muscovy Duck found?
- Native to the Americas, from Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay; domesticated and feral elsewhere
- How big is the Muscovy Duck?
- Males 76–84cm; females 71–76cm
- What is the wingspan of the Muscovy Duck?
- 137–152cm
- How much does the Muscovy Duck weigh?
- Males up to 3–4kg; females about 1.25kg