Muscovy Duck

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Muscovy Duck sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 93 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: When is the best time to see Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park in our monthly data.

Cairina moschata

Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
GenusCairina (Muscovy Ducks)
SpeciesCairina moschata (Muscovy Duck)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at Joshua Tree National Park

93 Verified sightings at Joshua Tree National Park From 2019 to 2026

12,524 Verified sightings across all 125 parks From 2019 to 2026

January Best month highest sighting rate

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Muscovy Duck

The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a species of duck native to the Americas, from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. The species has been domesticated, and feral Muscovy ducks can be found locally in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and in Central and Eastern Europe.

It is a large duck, with the males significantly larger than the females. The males are 76–84 cm (30–33 in) long and weigh up to 3–4 kg (6.6–8.8 lb); females are 71–76 cm (28–30 in) long and 1.25 kg (2.8 lb) weight, roughly half the weight of the males. The wingspan is from 137 to 152 cm (54 to 60 in). The plumage is predominantly black, with large white patches on the wing; the back and wing feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. Muscovy ducks have long claws on their feet and a wide, flat tail.

On the head, the male has a short crest on the nape. The bill is black with a speckling of pale pink. A blackish or dark red knob can be seen at the bill base, which is similar in colour to the bare skin of the face. The eyes are yellowish-brown. The legs and webbed feet are blackish. The female is similar in plumage... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Branta canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Mareca americana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Oxyura jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Aythya collaris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Spatula clypeata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Spatula cyanoptera

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Mareca penelope

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Aythya valisineria

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cygnus olor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Aythya affinis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Mareca strepera

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~50%
2	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
3	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~40%
4	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
5	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
6	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~20%
7	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~20%
8	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
9	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
10	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
11	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
12	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
13	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
14	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
15	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
16	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
17	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
18	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
19	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
20	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
21	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
22	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
23	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
24	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
25	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
26	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~10%
27	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
28	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
29	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
30	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
31	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
32	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
34	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
35	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
36	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
37	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
38	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
39	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
40	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
41	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
42	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
43	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
44	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
45	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
46	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
47	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
48	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
49	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
50	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
51	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
52	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
53	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
54	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
55	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
56	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
57	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
58	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
59	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
60	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
62	Blue Mountains National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
63	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
64	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
65	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
66	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
67	Royal National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
68	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
69	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
70	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
71	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
72	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
73	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
74	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
75	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
76	Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
77	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
78	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
79	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Insufficient data
80	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
81	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	Insufficient data
82	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
83	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
84	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	Insufficient data
85	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
86	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	Insufficient data
87	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
88	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
89	Egmont National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Insufficient data
90	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
91	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
92	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
93	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
94	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
95	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
96	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
97	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
98	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
99	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
100	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
101	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
102	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
103	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
104	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
105	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	Insufficient data
106	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
107	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
108	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
109	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
110	Abel Tasman National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Insufficient data
111	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
112	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
113	Ranomafana National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Insufficient data
114	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
115	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
116	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
117	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
118	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
119	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
120	Fiordland National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Insufficient data
121	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	Insufficient data
122	Nahuel Huapi National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
123	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
124	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Insufficient data
125	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Muscovy Duck sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 93 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Joshua Tree National Park

Muscovy Duck

About the Muscovy Duck

Recent sightings of Muscovy Duck in Joshua Tree National Park

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Mallard

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Ruddy Duck

Ring-necked Duck

Northern Shoveler

Cinnamon Teal

Eurasian Wigeon

Canvasback

Mute Swan

Lesser Scaup

Gadwall

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Quick answers