Dear muscovy people My name is Tiago Hermenegildo and I am a researcher writing up my PhD in the University of Cambridge. I am an archaeologist working on subsistence practices in the amazon jungle and I came across some interesting stuff regarding our beloved Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata). I ran chemical analyses in archaeological muscovy bone and in order to try and calibrate my samples I collected some feathers from local domesticated ducks. But now I have an issue and that is where I need your help. I looked a lot and I can't seem to find any information on feather development of Muscovy duck, but I think you guys can help me better understand the origins of this awesome duck from the amazon. So, if you are willing to give me a hand on this one my questions are: 1. How often do the feathers change in an adult muscovy? 2. Do they all change at the same time of types of feathers change in different times? 3. How long does it take to change (from when the feather first appears to when it is fully grown) and if anyone knows the time difference between semiplumes (body feathers), remiges (wing feathers) and rectrices (tail feathers). The more answers the merrier. Every little helps I hope you can help me and once my thesis is published I'll be happy to let you all know what I found about the origins of little fella Thanks everyone for your time Tiago
I`m really interested to see what you will find out about the feathers. It seems that the oil gland of muscovy often don`t work as they get older.The feathers will bleach and even break. I only see this with muscovy`s. Hoping you may find out why...?
Dear muskuslove, Unfortunately my research is not going that direction, but I can always let you know in case I come across something about that. I was just re reading my post and my questions suck (sorry, was just too tired to think i guess). So i'm re formulating and trying to make them clearer (I hope) Here we go: 1. How often do adult muscovies change their feathers? Once a year? more than once a year? 2. Do they change all their feathers at once or some parts change before others? 3. How long do feathers take from the time they fist appear until they are fully grown? I imagine the smaller body feathers (semiplumes) take less time than the larger feathers in the tails and wings (rectises and remiges). Am I imagining right? 4. If the body and wing/tail feathers take different times to grow how long is that then? Hope this is better Cheers Tiago
