Cairina Moschata

Title

Cairina Moschata

Artist

Norman Johnson

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

A muscovy duck feeds in the swamp in Tampa, Florida's Lettuce Lake Park.

Wild muscovy ducks (cairina moschata) are non-migratory birds that are found in coastal and lowland forested wetlands from Texas and Mexico south through Central America and down into South America to upper Argentina. A feral populations exists in Florida. They prefer fresh water but also live in brackish.

They are one of the oldest domesticated fowl species in the world, and were being kept by the natives of Peru and Paraguay when the early spanish explorers arrived. Domesticated versions occur across much of North America in shallow wetlands and rivers. In Florida they are sometimes just called river ducks.

A large dabbling duck, muscovys measure from 26" to 33.1" in length with a wingspan between 53.9" to 59.8." Wild muscovys are large, heavy bodied, glossy black ducks with long necks and bold white wing patches. They have a fairly long tail and hooked bill, with red facial skin and an odd warty growth where the face meets the bill. They have strong claws which allows them to perch easily in trees. Wild males have a short crest on the nape of their neck. The feet and legs are blackish. Domesticated birds can have variable large patches of white on their body. The male muscovy duck is the largest duck in North America, although the female is only half its size.

Muscovys forage in shallow wetlands, ponds and lagoons for both plant and animal matter. They eat grasses and sedges, tubers and seeds, as well as insects, larva and adults, spiders, crustaceans, worms, reptiles, etc. In the tropics they feed on termites by breaking open their mounds with their bills.

Forest dwellers, muscovys nest in tree cavaties.

The Aztec rulers wore cloaks made from the feathers of the muscovy duck, which was considered the totem animal of the wind god Elecatl.

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May 25th, 2019

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