Muscovy Duck

Description:

I was riding around Poinciana, when I saw a mother duck with her ducklings, in a parking lot. There were five ducklings. The ducklings were different shades of brown and yellow. They also had a black beak, and brown webbed feet. Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Genus: Cairina Species: C. moschata They are large ducks, with the males about 76 cm ( 30 in ) long, and weighing up to 7 kg ( 15 lb ). The bird is predominantly black and white, with the black feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. All Muscovy ducks, have long claws on there feet, and a white flat tail. C. moschata ducklings, are mostly yellow with buff-brown markings on the tail and wings. The Muscovy ducks diet, consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and millipedes. For the first few weeks of there lives, Muscovy ducklings feed on grains, corn, grass, insects, and almost anything that moves.

Habitat:

This non-migratory species, normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams, and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. These wild birds, are found in certain regions of southern Florida, the lower Rio Grande River Valley in Texas, and southern Canada. Muscovy ducks, prefer watery habitats with dense vegetation and large trees, rivers, brackish coastal wetlands, ponds, and wooded swamps.

Notes:

I was riding around Poinciana, when I saw a mother duck with her ducklings, in a parking lot. There was five ducklings. The ducklings were different shades of brown and yellow. They also had a black beak, and brown webbed feet.