Domestic Muscovy Duck

Domestic Muscovy duck is the domestic form of the wild Muscovy ducks, Cairina moschata. The Muscovy had been domesticated by various indigenous peoples of the Americas, well before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.

And there are a number of local or regional duck breeds, and drakes of these are commonly cross-bred with mallard-driven domestic ducks to produce the hybrids called mulards.

Physical Characteristics

The domestic Muscovy ducks are relatively large in size. Average live body weight of the Muscovy drakes is typically between 4.5 to 6.3 kg. While the ducks are much smaller in size than the drakes. And average live body weight of the mature ducks is typically between 2.3 to 3.2 kg.

There are numerous color varieties of the domestic Muscovy ducks. But the recognized color varieties include five solid colors such as black, blue, chocolate, lavender, and white. And there are also eight 'magpie' colors, in which the whole back from the tail to the shoulders and the underside from below the tail to the breast is coloured black, blue, chocolate or lavender, the remainder being white. In the standard magpie colourings the crown of the head is also coloured; in the white-headed magpie colours the head is white.

Temperament and Behavior

The Muscovy ducks are naturally calm, and they are often described as observant and independent. Although, their exact behavior varies according to individual birds, handling, housing and also breeding history. Your ducks can become quite tame if they are raised around people from an early age.

The domestic male Muscovy ducks can become territorial, particularly during their breeding season. The males are not noisy like other male ducks. Rather they make relatively less sound and communicate through hissing, puffing, body movements, and other vocalizations.

On the other hand the female Muscovy ducks are often more vocal than the males, but their calls are generally different from the loud quacking of mallard-derived ducks. And both male and female ducks are excellent foragers.

Uses of Domestic Muscovy duck

The domestic Muscovy duck is mainly raised for meat production purpose. It is often used in commercial production, and is often cross-bred with a mallard-derived domestic duck to produce the hybrid known as a mallard.

Are domestic Muscovy ducks good as pets?

Yes, the domestic Muscovy ducks can make excellent pets when raised properly. If you can handle the birds from their young age, then they can become more comfortable around humans. And they may learn to approach their keepers for food and can develop recognizable individual personalities.

People are raising domestic Muscovy ducks form long time ago. They are excellent for meat production and raising them commercially can be viable. Meat price is relatively high as compared to other common duck breeds. Hope this guide has helped you. Good luck and may God bless you!