Can you eat wild Muscovy eggs?

[Skye'sDucks]

Oh no, I wouldn't go hunting for wild duck eggs! I live in Florida, I keep meaning to add that to my bio lol. I'm hoping she'll move on, too. I may take up the golf ball I have in there if I do catch her laying there again to discourage it.

I think you are talking about feral Muscovies because wild muscovies are very skittish, the wild muscovies are actually on the decline and are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty act like almost every other native bird in the states. Feral muscovies receive no protection, actually the opposite, it is perfectly legal to kill and eat them any time of the year and it is encouraged to help population control. True wild muscovy ducks in the USA are found in Texas, and Texas only I believe, only in a small number of counties too. Very uncommon, they live in the swamps and are very skittish and silent. They have mostly black plumage, with the exception of a few wing feathers, the hens have solid black caruncles while drakes can have some red leakage in theirs.

I never knew there was a difference, I always thought of them as just plain wild Muscovys. Thanks for posting, I'll have to look into that more.

I agree that these don't sound like wild birds. I would not, as you put it, let nature take it's course. I'd keep taking those eggs so she learns it's not a safe nesting spot. If you let them brood you will soon be overrun with Muscovy. If there are ducklings around the hen will become aggressive and the drake may too. Or the drake may decide he'd like to mate with your hens too. If you have a drake they will likely fight. Either way I don't think it's a safe situation for your birds. If I were you, I would stop giving treats and try to get these birds to leave.

Maybe you could contact someone about disposing of these birds. It sounds harsh but you'd be doing the wild bird population a favor.

They're fairly friendly, but don't like to get too close to me. Usually the Muscovys I find in the wild here are much more afraid of humans, though I suppose they aren't quite wild like you say.

I agree though. We have lots of Muscovy here and I was thinking about the population control while making this thread.

So far my ducks mostly leave the wild ones alone, and I don't see them interacting that much. My one drake I have seems like he'd rather keep away from the wild one, even though the wild one leaves him alone! (and I know this for a fact. They rarely interact, the wild keeps to one side of the stream, my duck his side) Hopefully they'll move on like the other wild ducks that sometimes visit. Thanks for warning me.