Muscovy Ducks
This is probably the most bizarre duck that you will ever come across. They are large, have red beaks and fleshy skin around their face (called caruncles), look more like a goose than a duck, either hiss or whistle and shake their tail in a dog - like way when they are happy.
They originate in brazil, and their comparitively shy ancestors are naturally coloured in a greeny-black and white colour (drakes) or a chocolate colour (ducks). A common myth is that they are russian, and that they originate in Moscow, hence the name. This is false. They actually are so called as legend has it that they carry around a distinct musky aroma.
They come in many colours, and in many parts of the world they have established feral populations, including america and england. Despite their sIze, they are great flyers and may require pinioning if kept free-ranging in captivity. They also make excellent foster parents, not just for waterfowl but also guineafowl, pheasants and chickens. They are readily availiable and are generally (in my opnion) are excellent and fascinating birds to keep.
PHOTOS TO FOLLOW
They originate in brazil, and their comparitively shy ancestors are naturally coloured in a greeny-black and white colour (drakes) or a chocolate colour (ducks). A common myth is that they are russian, and that they originate in Moscow, hence the name. This is false. They actually are so called as legend has it that they carry around a distinct musky aroma.
They come in many colours, and in many parts of the world they have established feral populations, including america and england. Despite their sIze, they are great flyers and may require pinioning if kept free-ranging in captivity. They also make excellent foster parents, not just for waterfowl but also guineafowl, pheasants and chickens. They are readily availiable and are generally (in my opnion) are excellent and fascinating birds to keep.
PHOTOS TO FOLLOW