Female Muscovy Duck

The female Muscovy ducks have distinctive physical and behavioral characteristics. And they are easily identified from the males. The females are relatively calm in nature as compared to the males and they are also gentle, relaxed, quiet and communicate with soft trills, coos and hisses.

The female Muscovy ducks have strong perchers with clawed feet. They are excellent foragers, and are also notably cold-tolerant. In terms of eggs production, they are not among excellent layers. Rather, they are moderate egg layers and steady brooders. They are attentive and excellent mothers too.

What does a female Muscovy duck look like?

The female Muscovy ducks are large in size as compared to some other common domestic duck breeds. They are actually categorized as a heavy waterfowl and about the size of Mallard. Their body coloration include black, brown, and white. Their neck is long, tail is pointed, and also have a longish bill with slightly hooked point.

Most of the wild female Muscovy ducks black legs, bills, and feet. But the domestic females often have pink bills, yellow legs, and pale eyes. The claws on the toes are surprisingly long, and the claws are used for grip in trees where they nest and roost. And most of the domestic Muscovy females have bare red skin and caruncles around the eyes and the base of the bill.

Size

The female Muscovy ducks are smaller in size (almost half) as compared to the male Muscovy ducks. Average weight of the wild Muscovy females is typically around 1.1 to 1.5 kg. The domestic birds are much heavier and they can reach around or up to 4 kg. And their average body length is between 20 to 30 inches.

Temperament

The female Muscovy ducks are relatively calmer than the males. The females are gentle, relaxed, quiet and they communicate with soft trills, coos and hisses.

Hardiness

The female Muscovy ducks are very strong and also excellent foragers. They have clawed feet which makes them strong perchers. They are extremely hardy and can adapt themselves with all types of environment. They are notably cold- tolerant.

Eggs and Brooding

The Muscovy ducks are not among the top eggs laying duck breeds. They typically start laying eggs at approximately their 25 weeks of age, or at around 6 months of age. And they typically continue to lay eggs for about 3 years of even longer if you feed them the right diet.

Depending upon the variety, the female Muscovy ducks are low to moderate layers and produce around 100-120 eggs per year. They are excellent brooders and attentive mothers also. The female Muscovy ducks can raise their young alone without the help of a male.

How to tell a female Muscovy duck from a male?

You can easily tell whether the Muscovy duck is a male or female from a pair or group of ducks. The females are much smaller in size (almost half) than the males, and they do not have a knob at the base of their bill. While the males have a crest of long feathers that extend from the crown to the back of their neck.

Tail of the female Muscovy duck is more pointed than tat of a male. The males wag their broad tails when excited and also to attract a female. As compared to the males, the females have less white plumage, and their feathers are less glossy.

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