Andrew Patrick wrote:
>>"Farmyard ducks with red warty skin around the eyes. These are not Mallards
>>and I would like to know their name if you can help."
Philip A Veerman wrote:
>These ducks are Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moshata), originally from Central and
>South America. I don't know why they don't appear in the field guides. Like
>Mallards (and chickens) they have been domesticated, perhaps for centuries
>and bred in many colour forms and shapes and may even be pure white in
>plumage, as may mallards. Seen together one could mistake them for the same
>species. The red warty face is distinctive and the beak is a different shape
>from Mallards and their kin. What I don't know is whether the domesticated
>Muscovy Duck hybridises with anything else.
Many domestic "Muscovy Ducks" are in fact hybrids between domesticated
Mallards and domesticated Muscovys and are sterile mules and ass. I
couldn't say for certain but I doubt if Muscovy are capable of producing
sterile hybrids with any native Australian ducks. But just like mallards
they do get into rape. Domestic Muscovey crosses readily rape chickens.
David James
PO BOX 5225
Townsville Mail Centre 4810
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