Skip to content
NorthFactsFacts first, Canada's reference desk
Nature

Muscovy Duck

What is muscovy duck?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Scientific name Cairina moschata[1]
Native range The Americas[1]
Family Anatidae[2]
Order Anseriformes[2]
Wild habitat Wooded freshwater habitats[2]
Global breeding population 550,000[1]

The Muscovy duck is a large perching duck species, *Cairina moschata*, native to the Americas and found in wooded freshwater habitats. It is a wild bird species, not a domestic breed, and is not derived from Mallard stock. Its global breeding population is estimated at 550,000.

Context

The Muscovy duck (*Cairina moschata*) is a large perching duck in the family Anatidae, native to the Americas [1]. It inhabits wooded freshwater habitats across its range, which extends from the US–Mexico border to northern Argentina and northern Uruguay [2]. Unlike many domestic ducks, Muscovy ducks are not derived from Mallard stock [4]. Native people in Peru and Paraguay already kept them when Spanish explorers arrived [3]. The global breeding population is estimated at 550,000 [1].

Documented claims

  • The Muscovy duck is a species of duck rather than a separate domestic breed. [1]
  • Wild Muscovy ducks occur from the border between the United States and Mexico to northern Argentina and northern Uruguay. [2]
  • Domestic Muscovy ducks are not derived from Mallard stock. [4]

Questions and answers

What is special about Muscovy duck?

Muscovy ducks are unique among domestic ducks because they are not derived from Mallard stock, and they are a distinct species native to the Americas [4].

Are Muscovy ducks good for eggs?

Sources do not provide specific information on egg production for Muscovy ducks.

Do Muscovy ducks make good pets?

Sources do not provide specific information on keeping Muscovy ducks as pets.

What is the difference between a duck and a Muscovy duck?

The Muscovy duck is a separate species, *Cairina moschata*, not derived from Mallard stock, unlike most domestic ducks [4].

Sources

  1. Muscovy duck | Habitat, Lifespan & Facts | Britannica — britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Muscovy Duck Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of ... — allaboutbirds.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Cairina moschata (Muscovy duck) | INFORMATION — animaldiversity.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. About Muscovy Ducks — moosemanorfarms.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature