5 things to know about Muscovy ducks

• Muscovies do well on a low protein poultry feed. They're also excellent at cleaning up waste food and fruit windfalls. It's best to feed a small quantity of pellets during the morning, then leave them to forage. If they're still hungry later in the day, feed extra pellets.

• Like geese, a big part of their diet is pasture – they're a great choice to keep orchard grass low thanks to a slightly curved beak. They'll also do some pest control (see page 58).

• While they do like to swim, Muscovies are happy if all they have is a paddling pool of fresh water.

• They’re very hardy, tolerating hot daytime temperatures, but also do quite well in really cold climates, even as far north as Alaska.

• In the US, Muscovies are considered a pest in waterways and parks. In NZ, they're rarely seen in the wild and are mostly kept as pets.