Muscovy Duck - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Stanley Jones
Cocha Comungo Oxbow Lake, Peru, September, 2009

Cairina moschata

Identification

L. 86cm.

• Dark
• White in the wings
• Long talons on feet
• Wide flat tail
• Bare red face with a caruncle at the base of the bill
• Low erectile crest of feathers

Distribution

Mexico, Central America and South America. Domesticated and feral birds are widespread.

Photo of domestic variety by Joe A.
Location: Houston, Texas

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species¹

Habitat

Forested swamps, lakes and streams.

Behaviour

Breeding

8-16 white eggs are laid, usually in a tree hole or hollow, and are incubated for 35 days.

Diet

Includes plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and some small vertebrates and insects.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Muscovy Duck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Muscovy_Duck

External Links

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