One of the largest ducks of South America: the male measures 75 to 84 cm and weighs up to 4 kg, the female is considerably smaller. The plumage is black with a metallic green-violet sheen and a large white patch on the wings that is very visible in flight. The male has fleshy red caruncles on the face and at the base of the bill. The bill is black with pink markings. It nests in cavities of tall trees near water, which makes it dependent on mature gallery forests.
Behaviour
Solitary or in small groups. It spends the hot hours of the day perched on branches over the water or in tree cavities. At dusk it comes out to feed at the edge of lagoons and streams: it eats aquatic plants, seeds, insects, small fish and crustaceans. It flies high and straight with powerful wingbeats. The male is nearly mute; the female hisses.
How and when to see it
Year-round in the portals with mature gallery forest and lagoons. It is seen perched on high branches over the water at dawn and dusk.
Where to see it in the Iberá
The gateways of the Great Iberá Park where muscovy duck has confirmed presence:
Tours to see it
Verified providers operating at the gateways where muscovy duck lives. You contact them directly on WhatsApp from the app.
- Esteros Ñe’é
Experiences with local storytelling and a cultural take on the marshes.★ 5.0 - Gaucho Argentino
Horseback journeys across a network of refuges in Iberá. Multi-day rides with overnight…★ 5.0 - Jurassic Plant - Night Tour
The only carnivorous-plant garden in Argentina and a pioneer in Latin America. A guided…★ 5.0 - Irupé Excursiones
Guided hiking. Guided visit to museums, historic sites, chapels and trails of the town…★ 5.0
Species profile
- Common nameMuscovy Duck
- Scientific nameCairina moschata
- GroupBird
- StatusNative
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