Muscovy identity?

[Carolinexlt]

Wondering what you think about this duck. I just bought a drake and I am just confused about his looks. He has absolutely no mask at all! Every other Muscovy drake I've seen has a prominent fleshy mask but not this guy. Could he be a hybrid? Or are there Muscovies who just don't have the mask?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He looks like a goose. He must be young?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

I want to say he’s young for now

 

[sourland]

Muscovy drakes generally develop caruncling as they mature. He appears to be young, and I am not certain that he is pure Muscovy. Is there a possibility that he might be a mule? Did the previous owner have mallard derived birds as well as muscovies ?

 

[Raenh]

Looking at just his face, he looks like a she - then looking at his body - he looks like a goose!

But I know nothing for certain on that... other then which ever it is, they're still young and will grow into the carbuncle. Speedy only just started getting part of her mask recently and shes a year old. Fancy had his start when he hit hormonal and wanted to jump ever female in the area.

 

[Carolinexlt]

Thanks for your input. He is young, I'm told he's about three months old. I have asked the breeder if there is a possibility he could be a hybrid, waiting for a reply. He is really big! My girls are young too, and a lot smaller but they have more carbuncle than he does. Guess time will tell. If I understand correctly, he will not produce viable offspring if he is a hybrid, but the hens will still lay eggs. Is this correct?

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

Are you positive that is even a duck? It looks like a goose to me too.

 

[ShannonR]

Is a Muscovy goose hybrid possible?

 

[Raenh]

Hens will lay eggs even without a male. But yes, if a mule mates the eggs would be duds. Muscovys are their own branch of the duck tree and can only beget their own - pekin/muscovy gets 1st generation mules that are infertile - just like a horse and donkey begets infertile mules.

Female muscovys are a lot smaller then the males by half most times.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

What an interesting looking bird! Do you have more pictures of him? Is his neck normally that long or was he really stretching? He has a very sweet face