The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a duck native to the Americas, from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. The species has been domesticated, and feral Muscovy ducks can be found locally in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and in Central and Eastern Europe.

Muscovy Ducks are a wild tropical duck species native to Mexico as well as Central and South Americas. They were domesticated by the natives in these areas a long time ago. The ducks later established themselves in various parts of North America including the United States.

Wild Muscovy Ducks are glossy black with bold white wing patches and are forest dwellers that nest in tree cavities. Their range expanded into Texas in the 1980s; feral populations also exist in Florida.

Muscovy ducks are omnivorous, feeding on roots, stems, leaves, and seeds of aquatic and terrestrial plants, as well as, small fish, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, millipedes, and termites. They are native to Mexico, Central, South America, and some parts of Texas.

Wild Muscovies, native to the American tropics, are wary, fast-flying birds of wooded rivers and swamps. Most Muscovies seen in North America are of the barnyard variety, but small numbers of wild birds from northeastern Mexico may appear on the Rio Grande in southern Texas.

Muscovy Ducks are the only domesticated ducks not derived from wild Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). These large birds, males often weigh up to 6.5 kg (15 lbs), retain the clawed feet used by wild birds to perch and roost in trees (Oklahoma State Univ. Dept. Animal Sci. 2002).

Large, hefty duck that has wild and domestic types. Wild birds are dark blackish overall with iridescent green and bronze, especially on the wings. Look for bold white wing patches in flight and red warts on the face (more extensive on males).