Talk:Muscovy duck

Has anyone ever done a vocal range test of the Muscovy Duck? This Duck is reteletively quiet for a duck. When you observe Muscovy Ducks they look like they vocolize more than you can hear.

I reverted some edits; Caruncle is the correct word, not carbuncle. Most ducks do not quack, and I don't know offhand of any male duck that does, quacking being restricted largely to female dabbling ducks. jimfbleak 08:44, 10 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Does anyone know how a south american duck got named after Moscow? I came here looking for that bit of etymology and didn't find it. (I found one source that claims it's a corruption of "musk duck")

Muscovy Duck's Dark Side

The Muscovy Duck breeds in urban and suburban lakes and on farms throughout Florida. Apparently, no pair bond is established, at least among domesticated Muscovy Ducks. Matings are promiscuous and a form of rape, where the male overpowers the female. They nest in tree cavities or on the ground. In suburban and urban areas, they nest under shrubs in yards or on condominium balconies or under roof overhangs. It is said that each adult duck produces about 1/3-pound of dung per day. They have been known to mate with wild Mallard Ducks, creating another nuisance.

In many places, these large, ungainly birds are considered pests due to aggressive panhandling and because they defecate in swimming pools and on patios and docks. They feed on aquatic plants, grasses, seeds, insects, and on human handouts, such as bread.

In Florida they are now considered "invasive". They are protected in Florida by Statute 828.12, which makes shooting or hurting them in anyway punishable by law. Suggested means to curtail them within the law 1) Stop feeding them 2) Repel and harass with low noises or by chasing 3) Control flock size by locating nests and vigorously shaking eggs to render inviable. Return eggs to nest so hen won't renest. Sfpc 12:44, 1 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I removed the text reposted above by user:sfpc from the article for the following reasons

Three problems.

The clutch size and incubation time already occurs earlier in the article. If you disagree with the figures, change them, don't just add a contradictory section
talk of promiscuity and rape is very POV, imposing human values on a bird which acts from instinct and is incapable of making moral judgments.
The bit on Florida is rather parochial for a species with such a large range, but my main concern with that section is that putting in suggestions is non-enc. I suppose that it could be reinstated if rephrased eg "legal methods of control include..."

Hope this help - the whole article needs a good tidy really. jimfbleak 05:15, 1 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

My feelings about above -

I live in Florida and have lived with these ducks for quite a while. Like any invasive species to the state, being plant or animal, they should be controlled. I know that currently my neighbors are fighting over whether they should go or stay. My one and only fear is that the population explosion is causing a health hazard for the children. My entries were only added to the article to supply more information about this duck. I would hope that user:jimfbleak would correct any problems with these entries instead of using the tactic of "reverting"! Sfpc 12:44, 1 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]