🔍 Muscovy Duck | Cairina moschata 🦆
📍 San Sebastián, San José, Costa Rica 🇨🇷
💬 Despite being called “Muscovy,” this duck has no connection to Moscow — the name’s origin remains a mystery! Wild Muscovy Ducks are actually native to the Americas and are one of the few duck species domesticated outside of the mallard lineage.
Fauna
Muscovy Duck
// Basic ID
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Coloration
White (domestic variant); wild birds are dark iridescent green-black with white wing patches
Lifespan
8–12 years (wild); up to 20 years (captivity)
// Size
Length
66–84 cm (male); 55–65 cm (female)
Weight
2.7–6.8 kg (male); 1.1–3.5 kg (female)
Wingspan
// Habitat & Behavior
Native Range
Mexico, Central and South America
Habitat Type
Wetlands, rivers, lakes, parks, and urban green spaces
Diet
Omnivore — plants, seeds, insects, small fish, and invertebrates
Activity Pattern
Diurnal
Sources: IUCN Red List · Encyclopedia of Life · GBIF · Catalogue of Life