Can wild Muscovies have barring?

[Skye'sDucks]

I saw this pretty 'scovy duck at my cousin's apartment complex while I was walking his dog when he was away. I saw her twice, and the second time I snapped a pic. She had an adorable little baby while you can see.

I did notice she had barred coloring though, while I've always thought wild muscovies are always black and black and white.

Is it possible for a wild bird to have baring? Or do you think she was someone's pet that got out/was let go?

I've been looking around online but I haven't found any clear answer, so I thought I'd ask you guys here!

 

[TheBeardie]

As far as I know they are only black with some white on the wings in the wild. That what I've seen myself, I live in Florida so I do see plenty of them. I did see one group who looked like a really dark chocolate though. I'm not great with genetics, so maybe someone with more knowledge on it could give some insight.

This is like what I typically see. This is one of my girls.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

I live in Florida too, so I see lots of Muscovies myself.

Some of my black/wild colored muscovies have a brownish hue to them, I was reading a website page on genetics that talked about carrying a chocolate gene which is where you get that brown tone in with the black, but it was just one site, plus genetics has always been confusing to me lol.

But yeah, all the wild ones I've ever seen are black with a little white on them sometimes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She probably an escapee lots of them fly off never to return to their original homes that’s why mine get wings clipped I don’t want to add to the feral population. Plus I’d be heart broken if I lost any.

 

[TheBeardie]

She probably an escapee lots of them fly off never to return to their original homes that’s why mine get wings clipped I don’t want to add to the feral population. Plus I’d be heart broken if I lost any.

That's what I was assuming too. People spend a lot of effort to breed things, like plants and animals, into ways that nature doesn't.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

I figured she was probably an escapee, or someone dumped her, but I was curious and decided to ask lol.

 

[chickens really]

If it's just a little local pond the chances of her being dumped is extremely high. Cute picture of her with her Ducklings though...

 

[TheBeardie]

Once, outside of a Italian restaurant in Gainesville, there was a muscovy brooding eggs in one of the large ground plant areas close to the doors. This was in the middle of the city, cars everywhere. I wonder how that worked out for mama duck when they hatched.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

If it's just a little local pond the chances of her being dumped is extremely high. Cute picture of her with her Ducklings though...

She was a very pretty girl, and her baby was so stinkin' cute! She only had one...uh oh...

I would've tried to get close to her to see if she was friendly or not, but I had Cash (the dog) with me and there was no way I was bringing him close to any ducks! lol

Once, outside of a Italian restaurant in Gainesville, there was a muscovy brooding eggs in one of the large ground plant areas close to the doors. This was in the middle of the city, cars everywhere. I wonder how that worked out for mama duck when they hatched.

Yikes, hopefully it worked out well....always so sad when you see a wild mama duck with ducklings, and watch their numbers go down and down...

 

[casportpony]

her duckling is barred too!