Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata

Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata. Photograph taken in the greater Zihuatanejo area, Guerrero, January 2020. Photograph and identification courtesy of Ron Woheau, Zihuatanejo.

The Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata, is a member of the Anatidae Family of Ducks, Geese and Waterfowl. They are known in Mexico as pato criollo. They are large in stature. In Mexico they are found in coastal regions along both coasts. For the Atlantic slope they are found from northern Tamaulipas and central Nuevo Leon southward to Belize being present but uncommon within the Yucatán Peninsula. For the Pacific Slope they extend southern Sinaloa to Guatemala. From a conservation perspective the Muscovy Duck e Aleutian Cackling Goose is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. In some regions they are prone to overhunting. In the United States they are considered to be an invasive species. They are non-migratory and found in forested lake, streams, and swamp areas and within grasslands. They roost in trees at night. They are omnivores that consume amphibians, crustaceans, insects, plant materials, reptiles and small fish. The males are much larger than the females and can weigh up to 7 kg (15 lbs). They are predominately black and white in color. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable. Their bills can be black, pink or yellow or any mixture of these colors. It may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored. They have long craws and a wide flat tail. They have been domesticated for centuries by native Americans, and referred to as the Barbary Duck, and utilized as a human food.