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Species authority page

Muscovy duck

Cairina moschata · Ducks · Waterfowl · Migratory game birds

Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata): Very large, 64-86 cm, and mostly black. White wing patches obvious in flight, not when swimming. This profile does not establish whether taking it is legal anywhere.

Check rules for a place and dateOpen the muscovy duck map

Certified rules currently represented in Hunt: coverage in development. This is coverage, not a legal answer.

Muscovy duck with red facial skin in a pond
Photo by Chloe Leis on Unsplash
Scientific name
Cairina moschata
Family
Anatidae
In North America
Native
Range
Wild birds are native from northeastern Mexico south to South America, with small numbers on the Rio Grande in southern Texas. Most Muscovies in North America are barnyard-type birds, and U.S. records probably pertain to escapes or unsuccessful introductions (NatureServe).
Biology

How to identify it

Very large, 64-86 cm, and mostly black. [1][2]

White wing patches obvious in flight, not when swimming. [1][2]

Male larger and glossier than female, with a knob above the bill. [1][2]

Domesticated forms usually have much white in the plumage. [1][2]

Field knowledge

Where it lives

Wooded rivers and swamps in the wild; domestic-type birds around ponds and urban and suburban waters. [1][2]

Field knowledge

How it behaves

Wild birds are wary, fast-flying birds of wooded rivers and swamps [1][2]

Nests in tree cavities and will use nest boxes [1][2]

Not often heard; quiet quacks and grunts [1][2]

Regulatory handoff

Where it is listed for legal take

These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.

Where legal take is listed

Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.

Geospatial intelligence

Where it is found

Wild birds are native from northeastern Mexico south to South America, with small numbers on the Rio Grande in southern Texas. Most Muscovies in North America are barnyard-type birds, and U.S. records probably pertain to escapes or unsuccessful introductions (NatureServe).

Biology

Sources

Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.

  1. National Audubon Society · reviewed 2026-09-30

    National Audubon Society

  2. NatureServe · reviewed 2026-09-30

    NatureServe