Muscovie Question

[sweetshoplady]

And please if I spell it wrong, let me know. Sorry!

Anyway, today I saw 6 muscovies at a pond by a shopping center. I knew what they were because I've seen pics of them on here. But these were wild? feral? They were very friendly. I thought they were "pet ducks" Do they live in the wild? Or were these some that somebody had turned loose?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Muscovy are considered a domestic variety, even though they can be found truly wild in some parts of the world.

Chances are the ducks you saw are dumped(abandoned) or escaped. If you find who owns the pond they are on and ask if they own the ducks, you may be able to go and catch them. Chances are someone didn't want them anymore and picked a popular pond to dump them on, in hopes that they would be fed by people who passed by.

If you don't want them, a BYC member called OmniSkies is looking for feral Muscovies from Florida. Give her a PM, I'm sure she'd appreciate it.

-Kim

 

[conny63malies]

Muscovies a native to mexico with some feral population in the south western US. The Fl ones are more than likely escapees or dumped pets

 

[spectrumranch]

Florida has a good population of feral muscovies. While it is hard to know for sure, Odds are-- they are wild muscovies that have become accustom to people feeding them. Especially since they are by a shopping center- they would have a great area to beg for treats from city people. In many states- Mallards and Canadian geese have grown quite tame from people feeding them and now have resident populations that do not migrate.

In the park close to where I grew up- you could throw corn down and the ground would be covered with ducks and geese around your feet.

Areas in FL have trouble with feral muscovies using swimming pools and yard ponds and creating a mess. They are called "feral muscovies" because they are descendants from orginally escaped/released muscovies that have now established a wild population. They can range in a variety of colors- but most are black and white mixed.

The true wild muscovies from central & south america are Black with white shoulders. They also have a darker face with less pronounced caruncles. Here is one of our true wild muscovy drakes:

You spelled it correct. Muscovies is plural for Muscovy.

Randy www.spectrumranch.net