The Name is Duck... Muscovy Duck

[thedeadlyhook]

I've just discovered that one of the odd birds Toys and I have been seeing - an oversized bird that we've been calling "the booberie," which looks sort of like a mutant hybrid of a duck and a turkey vulture - is actually a Muscovy Duck. We've seen pairs of these both at Stow Lake and also at Tower Mountain Park.

In other news, lots of ring-necked ducks at another lake in the park - I've seen them, but Toys hasn't. Further investigation will be needed.

Comments

[toysdream.livejournal.com]

That's one crazy-looking duck. Do we have any other fowls still awaiting an ID?

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

There are a couple of tan-colored ducks that I've been assuming are probably female mallards, but now I'm wondering whether they might be some other variant. Must look into it.

[wenchsenior.livejournal.com]

We used to raise Muscovys (they are delicious, and the eggs are incredible, too). It always cracked me up how the females are so much smaller and look like normal ducks, while the males are these hulking, wart-covered monstrosities. And I love how they pump their necks when they swim or walk.

Also? They have NASTY claws, because the species form (non domesticated) are tree-perching ducks. Even our domestic hens would occasionally take to the trees at night, rather than the barn. The males were too big to get airborne.

Crazy.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I only found out that these were ducks that peole raise for food when I did a Google image search, and turned up a lot of pictures of restaurant specials. Looking at them, I never would've thought of it - they just look so wild!

I'd noticed the mean-looking claws - that was one of the big reasons I just couldn't figure out what kind of bird they were suppposed to be, the claws on the webbed feet. Now I'll have to start checking the trees!