This
non-migratory species normally inhabits
forested
swamps,
lakes,
streams and nearby
grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. The diet consists of plant material (such as the
roots,
stems,
leaves, and
seeds of
aquatic plants and
grasses, as well as terrestrial plants, including agricultural
crops) obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, and small
fish,
amphibians,
reptiles,
crustaceans,
spiders, insects,
millipedes, and
worms. It is an aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source. The Muscovy duck has benefited from nest boxes in
Mexico, but it is somewhat uncommon in much of the eastern part of its range due to excessive hunting. It is not considered a globally threatened species by the
IUCN, however, as it is widely distributed. The sitting hen will leave the nest once a day from 20 minutes to one and a half hours, and will then defecate, drink water, eat and sometimes bathe. Once the eggs begin to hatch, it may take 24 hours for all the chicks to break through their shells. When feral chicks are born, they typically stay with their mother for about 10–12 weeks. Their bodies cannot produce all the heat they need, especially in temperate regions, so they will stay close to the mother, especially at night. Often, the drake will stay in close contact with the brood for several weeks. The male will walk with the young during their normal travels in search for food, providing protection. Anecdotal evidence from
East Anglia, U.K. suggests that, in response to different environmental conditions, other adults assist in protecting chicks and providing warmth at night. It has been suggested that this is in response to local efforts to cull this feral population, which has led to an atypical distribution of males and females, as well as young and mature birds. For the first few weeks of their lives, Muscovy chicks feed on grain, corn, grass, insects, and almost anything that moves. Their mother shows them at an early age how to feed.
Feral birds In feral birds with domesticated ancestry, the amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these colours. It may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have small red
wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored, and often considerably larger in feral birds.
Feral Muscovy ducks can breed near urban and suburban lakes and on farms, nesting in tree cavities or on the ground, under shrubs in yards, on apartment balconies, or under roof overhangs. Some feral populations, such as that in southern
Florida, have a reputation of becoming
pests on occasion. At night they often sleep at water, if there is a water source available, to flee quickly from predators if awakened. Small populations of Muscovy ducks can also be found in
Ely, Cambridgeshire,
Calstock, Cornwall, and
Lincoln, Lincolnshire, U.K. Muscovy ducks have also been spotted in the
Walsall Arboretum. There has been a small population in the
Pavilion Gardens public park in
Buxton, Derbyshire, for many years. In the United States, Muscovy ducks are considered a non-native species, outside of
Hidalgo,
Starr and
Zapata Counties in southernmost Texas, where they are considered indigenous. An owner may raise them for food production only (not for hunting). Similarly, if the ducks have no owner,
50CFR Part 21 (Migratory Bird Permits) allows the removal or destruction of the ducks, their eggs and their nests anywhere in the United States. The population in southern Florida is considered, with numbers in the several thousands, to be established enough to be considered "countable" for bird watchers. ==Domestication==