The Muscovy duck is a unique type of waterfowl that is commonly raised for meat and eggs. Despite its name, the classification and taxonomy of the Muscovy duck has been debated by ornithologists and laypeople alike. This article will examine the evidence to determine whether the Muscovy should be considered a true duck or a goose.
Origin and History
The Muscovy duck is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. It is unclear exactly when it was domesticated, but it was being raised by Native American tribes when Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in the late 15th century. The duck was then brought to Europe, where it was named “Muscovy” after the Russian city of Moscow.
Early taxonomists classified the Muscovy as a goose due to the differences from other ducks in appearance and behavior. However, evidence from hybridization studies in the 1900s suggested it was more closely related to the duck tribe. In 1984, the American Ornithologists’ Union officially reclassified it from the genus Cairina, along with geese and swans, to the duck genus Cairina.
Appearance
The Muscovy duck has several features that distinguish it from most other ducks:
- Size – Muscovies are very large, often weighing up to 15 pounds. Most other ducks are considerably smaller.
- Plumage – Muscovy drakes have glossy greenish-black feathers on the body with white markings on the wings. Females have mottled brown plumage.
- Face – Muscovies have bare skin on the face and around the eyes that is red or pinkish.
- Bill – The bill is wide, flat, and toothed, more like a goose’s bill than a typical duck bill.
- Legs and feet – Their legs and feet are thicker and less webbed compared to most ducks.
Overall, Muscovies have a more upright posture compared to the horizontal stance of many ducks. The males’ feather colors are also atypical for ducks.
Behavior
Several behavioral traits also set Muscovies apart from true ducks:
- Perching – Muscovies regularly perch in trees, unlike most other ducks.
- Nesting – They nest in tree cavities or on the ground rather than near water.
- Territoriality – Muscovy drakes are highly territorial and may fight to the death over territory.
- Vocalizations – They have a hissing sound very different from a duck’s familiar quack.
In terms of feeding, Muscovies are omnivorous and will eat plants, seeds, insects, fish, and small vertebrates. True ducks are mainly herbivores that filter feed in the water. Muscovies prefer to feed on land.
Reproduction
There are also some key differences in reproduction between Muscovies and Mallard-derived ducks:
- Mating behavior – Mallards form large flocks in winter while mating, whereas Muscovies pair bond.
- Incubation – Female Muscovies incubate the eggs for 35 days, which is 7-10 days longer than most ducks.
- Chicks – Muscovy chicks are covered in down like goslings rather than soft feather down like ducklings.
- Maturation – Muscovies take longer to reach sexual maturity (up to 33 weeks versus 17-24 weeks for ducks).
The longer incubation time, differences in chick plumage, and slower maturation reflect the Muscovy’s goose ancestry.
Genetics
Genetic studies provide some of the best evidence for classifying the Muscovy duck. Research has shown:
- The Muscovy’s chromosome count is 80, while all other ducks have 68 chromosomes. Geese have 80 chromosomes.
- DNA hybridization shows Muscovies are more closely related to geese than to other ducks.
- The Muscovy can hybridize with geese to produce offspring, demonstrating they are genetically compatible.
- True ducks can also hybridize with Muscovies, producing sterile male and fertile female offspring.
The ability to successfully breed with both geese and ducks provides strong molecular evidence that the Muscovy duck is a link between the two groups.
Domestication Differences
Selective breeding of domestic Muscovies over the past several centuries has resulted in various breeds adapted for meat or egg production. Despite this, domestic Muscovies differ in some important ways from domestic Mallard-derived duck breeds:
- Flight – Even heavily domesticated Muscovies are still strong flyers, whereas domestic duck breeds cannot fly.
- Broodiness – Muscovy hens frequently brood and even brood each other’s ducklings. Domestic duck hens have mostly lost natural broodiness.
- Growth – Muscovies grow significantly larger than domestic ducks.
These differences suggest the ancestral Muscovy was not as thoroughly domesticated as Mallards and may represent an intermediate between wild and domestic ducks.
Conclusion
In summary, the evidence indicates that the Muscovy duck has characteristics of both ducks and geese, but is likely more closely related to geese based on genetic, reproductive, and behavioral comparisons. The key reasons supporting classification as a goose are:
- Appearance – more goose-like size, plumage, bill, and stance
- Behavior – perching, nesting, territoriality, vocalizations
- Reproduction – mating behavior, incubation period, chick plumage
- Genetics – chromosome count, DNA hybridization, hybrid offspring
- Domestication traits – stronger flying ability, broodiness, larger size
Classification as a distinct species in the genus Cairina separate from both geese and ducks may be most appropriate taxonomically. Colloquially though, it is reasonable to consider the Muscovy duck a type of goose based on both its ancestry and its unique attributes among waterfowl.