# Muscovy Duck (*Cairina moschata*) Muscovy ducks are friendly birds that come in many colors! They love to swim and can often be found waddling around farms. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 57 - **Habitat:** Farms and wetlands - **Also known as:** Barbary Duck, Muscovy ![Muscovy Duck](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426041/objects/4589.jpg) ## Appearance The Muscovy Duck is a large, sturdy duck recognized by its unique warty, red face, especially on males. Its plumage is typically dark, shimmering with iridescent green and purple, often featuring distinctive white patches on its wings visible during flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Cairina ## Interesting facts - Male Muscovy Ducks are much bigger and heavier than females, sometimes twice the size! - Muscovy Ducks are one of the few duck species that prefer to perch in trees! - Their babies, called ducklings, are able to swim and find food just hours after hatching! - Unlike most ducks, Muscovy Ducks do not 'quack' but rather hiss and make soft trilling sounds. ## Special abilities - **Arboreal Grip:** Muscovy Ducks have strong, clawed feet that help them perch easily in trees, unlike most other ducks. - **Silent Flight:** Muscovy Ducks can fly with surprising quietness because of their wing structure, aiding stealth. - **Warty Wisdom:** Muscovy Ducks have distinctive red, fleshy caruncles on their face that help protect against injury. - **Robust Forager:** Muscovy Ducks can forage effectively on land and in water, allowing them to find diverse food sources. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 66-84 cm - **Wingspan:** 137-152 cm - **Weight:** 3-8 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-12 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 8-16 - **Incubation:** 35 days ## Diet & Feeding These adaptable ducks eat a wide variety of plants, insects, and small aquatic creatures from land and water. - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Small fish, Crustaceans, Seeds, Aquatic plants, Grains - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Mosquitofish (*Gambusia affinis*) — Ducks hunt small fish in shallow waters. - **Eats:** Red Swamp Crayfish (*Procambarus clarkii*) — They forage for crustaceans like crayfish. - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Adult ducks are prey for alligators. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Ducklings are targeted by birds of prey. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Muscovy ducks are generally gentle, but it's best to observe them from a distance and not to chase them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Muscovy Duck? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Muscovy Duck? 66-84 cm ### What is Muscovy Duck's wingspan? 137-152 cm ### How much does Muscovy Duck weigh? 3-8 kg ### How long does Muscovy Duck live? 8-12 years ### How fast can Muscovy Duck move? 80 km/h ### What does Muscovy Duck eat? These adaptable ducks eat a wide variety of plants, insects, and small aquatic creatures from land and water. ### Where is Muscovy Duck usually found? Farms and wetlands ## Where to spot - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Allerton Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/allerton-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Broadmoor](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadmoor) — Louisiana, US · Neighborhood - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Congress Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/congress-avenue-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/corkscrew-swamp-sanctuary) — Florida, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Muscovy Duck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/muscovy-duck) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Muscovy Duck: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muscovy-duck)