The Muscovy Duck is a large duck which is native to Mexico and Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. There also are feral breeding populations in North America in and around public parks in nearly every state of the USA and in the Canadian provinces; feral populations also exist in Europe. Although the Muscovy Duck is a tropical bird, it adapts to icy and snowy conditions down to –12°C and below without ill effects.
All Muscovy Ducks have long claws on their feet and a wide flat tail. Male is about 86 cm long and weighs 7 kg, while the female is much smaller, at 64 cm in length and 4 kg in weight.
The wild Muscovy Duck is blackish, with large white wing patches. Domesticated birds may look similar; most are dark brown or black mixed with white, particularly on the head. Other colors such as lavender or all-white are also seen. Both male and female have a nude black-and-red or all-red face; the male also has pronounced caruncles at the base of the bill and a low erectile crest of feathers