Do you know how to determine Muscovy duck male vs female? Actually, you need to know the ways to determine whether your Muscovy duck is male or female if you want to be successful in raising these ducks.
However, it is very difficult to tell the differences between male and female Muscovy ducks at first glance, especially if you are a beginner. But if you already have some knowledge then you will be able to tell the differences easily, because there are noticeable differences between the male and female ducks.
Muscovy Duck Male vs Female
The male Muscovy ducks (also known as drakes) are relatively easy to identify by looking their physical characteristics. They are considerably large in size than the female Muscovy ducks. And the females are much smaller in size than the males, almost half. However, now we are trying to describe more about both males and females.
Male Muscovy Ducks
The male Muscovy ducks are relatively large in size. They feature prominent, fleshy red caruncles around the bill and eyes which can grow larger and become more pronounced as they mature. The wild males have glossy black plumage with large and striking white wing patches. While the domesticated Muscovy males show diverse patterns of white, black, pied or brown.
In terms of temperament, the male Muscovy ducks are generally calm, quiet, and docile. They are generally not noisy, rather they are quiet and produce only a low, soft hissing should. They are not aggressive, but can become territorial if you keep too many males in a single flock.
The male Muscovy ducks are naturally very strong and hardy and they can adapt themselves with a wide variety of climatic conditions. Average body weight of the mature male Muscovy ducks is typically between 4.5 to 6.8 kg, and their average body length can reach up to 86 cm.
Female Muscovy Ducks
The female Muscovy ducks are smaller in size as compared to the males. Their common 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 have black legs, bills, and feet. While the domestic female ducks 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 female Muscovy ducks have bare red skin and caruncles around the eyes and the base of the bill.
The female Muscovy ducks are gentle, relaxed, quiet, and relatively calmer than the males. They are smaller in size as compared to the males, and their average live body weight is typically around 1.1 to 1.5 kg. And their average body length is typically between 20 to 30 inches.
How To Tell Muscovy Ducks Male vs Females?
Actually, it you have some knowledge in raising ducks, then you will be able to differentiate male vs female Muscovy ducks. However, here we are trying to discuss more about the ways to differentiate male and female Muscovy ducks.
Size
You can easily tell male vs female Muscovy ducks by looking at their size. The male Muscovy ducks are typically much larger in size than the females (almost double).
Caruncle
Caruncle or the red tissue on the Muscovy duck’s face is a unique feature of this breed. Caruncle almost looks like a red mask on their faces. The male Muscovy ducks will start to develop a red, bumpy mass around the eyes at approximately their 15 to 17 weeks of age. However, a female Muscovy duck will not start developing her caruncle until roughly 200 weeks of age.
Feathers
It is also possible to tell Muscovy ducks male vs female by looking at their feathers. Although, the males grow faster and become bigger than the females, but the females tend to develop feathers first at around their four weeks of age.
Tail
Male Muscovy ducks typically have a U-shaped formation of tail feathers. Whereas the tail feathers of a female Muscovy ducks form a narrow, V-shaped alignment.
Bill
Mature male Muscovy ducks will often have a large lump at the base of their bill. The bill of the male is relatively straight and smooth. While the bill of a female is adorned with a central ridge and slightly more curved. Despite the slight difference, this characteristic should be used more as a guide and not a definitive gender determination.
Behavior
Behavior of the male and female Muscovy ducks is different. The drakes can be sometimes aggressive and territorial, especially if you have multiple males in your same flock. On the other hand, the females are relatively calm and quiet.
Vocalization
The male Muscovy ducks are less noisy as compared to some other duck breeds. After a certain age, the males only become able to produce a raspy-sounding hiss. While the female Muscovy ducks are capable of producing a more extensive vocal range, from clicks to shrill-like vocalizations.
Coloration
It is pretty difficult to differentiate male vs female Muscovy ducks by their color only. Because, both male and female Muscovy ducks can display a range of colors, from white to black to green. The wild Muscovy ducks are often black all over, with an iridescent glossy green shine, and sometimes white patches can be found under the wings.
These are the common ways to tell Muscovy duck male vs female. Hope this guide has helped you. Good luck and may God bless you!