When I returned to my hometown suburb in Texas, I was greeted by the familiar sight of Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata) hanging out in and around the numerous constructed wetlands that keep my suburb from going underwater. Notably, male Muscovy Ducks are the largest duck in North America!
Despite being such a common sight in Texas suburbs, these ducks are not native to the region. Rather, their native range is Central and South America. Unfortunately, all of these charming birds are feral, having been (illegally) released from private owners who kept them as pets or for food (A.K.A. Barbary Duck).
Florida wildlife officials consider Muscovy Ducks an invasive species due to them out-competing native duck species and creating nutrient-loading problems in the ponds they inhabit. However, Texas wildlife authorities have done little to curb the rising populations of Muscovy ducks, which has led to the complete takeover of my suburb by this otherwise charming waterfowl. Indeed, in my numerous walks around the neighborhood, I rarely saw more than a single pair of native Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).
The ubiquitous presence of these ducks around my neighborhood paints a dire warning for urban wetlands as a whole. One factor that may contribute to their prevalence is that these urban wetlands are already lacking in biodiversity. Kennedy et al. 2002 discovered that experimental grassland plots with higher native diversity had enhanced resistance to invasive species establishment and success. It may be that the lack of plant biodiversity in suburban areas allowed these non-native ducks to encroach on the habitat of more specialized native duck species.
References:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology (n.d.) , Muscovy Duck. All About Birds. Retrieved January 18th, 2023. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Muscovy_Duck/overview
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comission (n.d.), Muscovy Duck. Retrieved January 18th, 2023. https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterfowl/muscovy-ducks/
Kennedy, T., Naeem, S., Howe, K. et al. Biodiversity as a barrier to ecological invasion. Nature 417, 636–638 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature00776
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Image Credits: Gaia Rueda Moreno
Biology (ecology concentration) and Environmental studies Double Major
Wildlife Photographer
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