Interesting article in the Herald Tribune about the Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) problem in Florida. Wild populations are on the increase, according to the Audubon Society's bird count data, and the birds are considered a "nuisance" species, meaning they do annoying things like eat people's plants, get themselves hit by cars, and turn people off with their funny-looking, warty faces. The President of the Peace River Audubon Society notes that the Muscovy duck problem is human-caused and can be human-controlled. They were (and possibly still are) released into the wild purposely, and many people enjoy feeding them. The ducks are also encouraged to settle into suburban neighborhoods due to the construction of storm-water retention ponds.
2 comments:
I read this too fast, and thought it said "...they do annoying things like eat peoples PANTS."
Of course, in Texas along the Rio Grande, people sit for hours hoping a wild Muscovy crosses the river into the U.S. so it can be counted on their lists!
If Florida wants to control Muskovies, they need to simply open a hunting season on them.
They're quite tasty.
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