Founder and President Eunice Sivertsen and her rescue squad volunteer, Melissa

Eunice has been saving the duck population through Duck Haven, Inc., in South Florida for 30 years.  A respected member of the local wildlife rescue community, she is the only source for Muscovy welfare and community education.  To help combat the myths that encourage violence toward these creature, Duck Haven would like you to be more knowledgable.  Below are some interesting facts about the friendly Musocvy.

• Muscovy ducks are very human friendly and have been taught by local residents to trust humans, who feed them and care for them on our inland lakes and canals.  This makes them very trusting and therefore susceptible to people's cruelty. 

• They are not native to the United States and are considered "exotic" rather than domestic wildlife.  They are believed to have come here from South America 250 years ago.  This is the rationale wildlife agencies use to exclude them from by now.   Please see our petition page.

• Muscovies lay as many as 20 eggs each time, usually at a rate of 1 per day. 
•  Muscovies do not "quack."  The males make a hissing sound and the females have delicate chirps or "gobbles."
• Condo, apartment complex management, and homeowners association residents who feed ducks in front of their homes invite organized kills, as the ducks are viewed as nuisance wildlife.  They assumed every resident wants to love and feed them and congregate on driveways, at doorways, and in the street.  HUMANS with good intentions create the Muscovy problem.  The ducks themselves are innocent.  PLEASE! If you live on a lake in an association development or apartment complex, follow the association rules.  If you insist on feeding, feeding the ducks only on theirf  territory, at the waterfront!

• Muscovy ducks do not carry disease.  They may mess on the sidewalk but there has never been an instance of transmitted disease traced to a Muscovy.

•  They do not hurt you when they "bite."  They have a rounded beak and no teeth.  A finger in their beak feels like it's being tickled by a plastic knife.  However, they do have qutie a grip as well as sharp claws.  Treat them as you would any wildlife.  They are not  house pets.

• Yes, they fly (they are birds!)