Duckling Army

[subhanalah]

Muscovies are domestic so those ducks are feral. Like feral cats. So you don't have to worry about any laws or anything. There's only one area in the US where they're native, some place in Texas I think. That's the only place they're protected.

If you see any that aren't being cared for or are injured/ill looking then I'd take them if I were you. It sounds like the stray ones were either abandoned or something happened to mom.

They'll all mostly die from predators etc, even the ones with a mom, so any ones you take will be lucky. I deal with this all the time because I have a half acre pond in my yard and feral muscovies and mallards basically adopted me. They have a lot of ducklings every year (some scovies hatch as many as 26 in one brood! they're excellent brooders) and some abandon their ducklings, some ducklings need help because of deformities or getting hurt by a predator etc. 

This is false. Since muscovies are native to ANY part of the US, they fall under the federal migratory birds act.
If they are feral, you need to contact the wildlife department before interfering, IMO.

 

[Fawkes]

This is false. Since muscovies are native to ANY part of the US, they fall under the federal migratory birds act.
If they are feral, you need to contact the wildlife department before interfering, IMO.

Oh I thought they differentiated between domestic scovies and wild scovies. Because the ones in Texas are true wild scovies, while everywhere else in the US they're domestic. Here in Florida it's even legal to shoot them on site.

 

[subhanalah]

Muscovies haven't always been native to texas, they naturally wound up there probably due to habitat destruction. How would this natural process work if people just shoot them on site no questions asked?
I understand in Florida they encourage reducing numbers by scrambling all but two eggs in muscovy nests. Why wouldn't they just instruct to kill the adults if that were the case?

 

[Chickincredible]

Thank you all! It didn't look like the Mom and Dad needed help with their remaining ten. Still have my fingers crossed that the others made it somewhere safe.

 

[Fawkes]

Muscovies haven't always been native to texas, they naturally wound up there probably due to habitat destruction. How would this natural process work if people just shoot them on site no questions asked?
I understand in Florida they encourage reducing numbers by scrambling all but two eggs in muscovy nests. Why wouldn't they just instruct to kill the adults if that were the case?

I'm not sure, but I've heard of some parks rounding up and gassing all the muscovies, so adults are killed sometimes too.

FWC says:

"Are Muscovy ducks legal to take?

Muscovy ducks have been introduced into urban and suburban areas in Florida where they often occur in high densities. If the muscovy ducks are yours or have no identifiable owner and are on your property, Federal regulations allow control by landowners, wildlife management agencies, and tenants, agents, or employees without federal or state permits. Captured birds may be humanely euthanized, but it is illegal to capture the birds and release them elsewhere. Information about dealing with problem ducks or geese is available at MyFWC.com/Duck."
http://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/assistnuisance-wildlife/faqs/#ducks

It may be different in other states though.

 

[desertdarlene]

Scovies are generally considered feral birds in most states, but there are new laws that regulate the ownership of these birds. They have to be marked with bands, etc and aren't allowed to be kept for pet purposes. But, these laws are loosely enforced, if at all. The feral birds are usually considered abandoned domestic animals. In southern Texas, the wild-type is fully protected like any other wild bird.