What Are Muscovy Duck Good For?

Did you know that male Muscovy duck is the largest duck in North America? Since they are still not very common, most people don’t have much idea about their characteristics.

So, people often ask what are Muscovy ducks good for. Well, the Muscovies can be a great choice for pets who don’t require a lot of attention or money. They can even help you control the pest population. And their taste resembles fancy roast beef while being healthy and nutritious.

So, if you’re wondering whether or not you should get one, it will be helpful if you learn about the benefits that Muscovies can provide you. And if you’re only interested in meat, we assure you a good time too!

What Is the Purpose of a Muscovy Duck?

There are mainly two purposes of a Muscovy duck. And ironically, the two purposes are the complete opposite of each other. They are either kept as pets, or they become meat.

Some people want to seek these fun ducks’ companionship as they are quite loving and not aggressive at all. And on top of that, their owners occasionally receive delicious eggs for breakfast.

Muscovy ducks are also extremely flavourful meat that some people prefer over other birds for their distinctly intense taste. It’s also a healthy option for people who want to go for low-fat meat.

01. Muscovy Ducks as Pets

It may surprise you that Muscovy ducks can be wonderful pets. They will surely win your heart with all their positive qualities if you can give them a healthy environment. Let’s have a look at their characteristics –

Muscovy ducks are quite friendly birds who will definitely bond with you if you give them enough love and care. They may not appreciate direct pets but can still show you their affection by wagging their tails.

Unlike other duck breeds, Muscovy ducks are much cleaner in comparison. Though they are not the cleanest, you still don’t have to clean up after them as much as you do after other ducks.

Be it cold weather or a hot summer, Muscovies can adapt to any season without much difficulty. They also rarely get sick and don’t require constant care or treatment.

Another great advantage of keeping them as pets is that they are incredibly low maintenance. You don’t have to break the bank to provide for them as they are happy to eat anything. Thus, these ducks can be a unique choice of pet.

02. Muscovy Duck Meat Taste

To describe their taste, people often compare them to roast beef and veal because they are incredibly meaty but also very tender. For their rich, meaty flavor and mild, gamey flavor, they taste closer to red meat than other birds.

Unlike most ducks, they are actually quite low in fat, which makes their meat leaner and skin thinner. It can be a healthy choice of protein that will give you the taste of beef without worrying about weight gain.

Are Muscovy Ducks Good for Pest Control?

Insects are not only nuisances, but some of them also spread various types of diseases. And to keep their population in control, Muscovy ducks are quite expert. They happily eat different kinds of bugs all day at any given chance.

From mosquitoes to roaches, spiders, ants, these predatory ducks don’t spare anyone. One study showed that they can catch house flies 30 times faster than commercial fly traps. That proves their centuries of experience.

So, if you have a garden that harmful pests are having a feast on, bringing a Muscovy duck can work as a natural pest controller. And they don’t cause much damage to your plants either.

Are Muscovy Ducks Good Backyard Ducks?

Muscovies can be a great choice of duck for raising in your backyard, especially if you’re new to this. You don’t have to spend a lot on them because they can hunt and gather food from nature for themselves.

Another great point is that they don’t make a lot of noise. Instead of quacking like other ducks, the male members just hiss and the female members coo softly.

Wagging tails and moving their heads up and down are also their form of communication. So, a flock of Muscovy ducks will not disturb your neighbors by being annoyingly loud and you won’t get any angry complaints.

They also don’t require a fancy shelter as they are perfectly content with a place that’s dry and secure. And there’s no need for a pond for them either. So, it’s quite easy and low-cost to raise them in your backyard without facing many problems.

What Are the Benefits of Keeping Muscovy Ducks?

Affectionate companionship, delicious eggs and meat are not the only things they offer. In fact, they can also help you with other things to ease your life. Such as –

01. Protector of Other Birds

If you are raising other small birds in your backyard, you must be worried about their safety from the big predatory birds. Well, Muscovies are quite large in size and can easily save the small ones from hawks and such.

02. Natural Fertilizer for Your Lawn

It’s definitely annoying when ducks leave their poop all over your lawn. But it can actually come to your benefit. Since they have such a diverse diet, their manure works as an effective natural fertilizer for the land.

Conclusion

For most people, Muscovy ducks are either loving pets or an utter inconvenience. If you belong to the first group of people, you’ll definitely find lots of good reasons to raise them in your backyard.

By taking good care of them, you’ll be able to use them for your own benefit and receive their warm love! And if you’re thinking of tasting Muscovy meat for the first time, we can confidently give you the green signal!

Hope this article answered your questions and helped you decide if you should also give Muscovy ducks a try. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for more useful content!