Methods for control of Muscovy ducks

The mention of the Muscovy ducks will elicit mixed extreme reactions among haters and lovers of the species. While to some the name engenders delight and happiness, to some it reminds them of the hard battles they have hard to fight against these creatures. They are not native as well, which means that their entry will as well spark supremacy battles for space with other species, complicating the whole arithmetic. Muscovy ducks are a very invasive breed and will not mind using your pool and pond for their play and poo, making a whole mess of your estate. But there is more to it when it comes to Muscovy ducks.

Masses of waste are synonymous with places used by Muscovy ducks for their play and shelter. They eat and eat and eat, but that means they will pee endlessly throughout the day and make a whole mess of your spot clean areas. Cleaning after these ducks can prove a whole hell especially if you are not fond of such fellows. They will mess around every place they set their foot, making it a costly affair when it comes to keeping areas populated with then clean. Well, every other creature defecates but if you are not prepared to wrestle with duck poo then you are in for a rude shock.

Disease is also a term synonymous with Muscovy ducks. New diseases not common with other birds have been detected in Muscovy ducks, but this poses a whole new challenge when such diseases are passed onto other birds or humans. New diseases can be especially contagious because one may not have immunity developed against them due to lack of any previous exposure. Other birds may also be very likely to be infected and create a whole new health situation, although very few such situations have been reported before but that does not take the risk away. 

Muscovy ducks have a powerful beak and they know it. For this they are not too mean using it, most times they don't mind making some noise. However, having a sizable number of Muscovy ducks hanging around freely and loosely can generate an enormous amount of noise pollutions. If you require some quiet and serenity in your home then this will be bad news. The noise will surely irritate you, and they know how to make plenty of it in most cases so gear up for the worst. 

Finally, Muscovy ducks are non-native and new resets in the ecosystem are inevitable with their introduction. Turf wars will inevitably break out as they battle it out with other birds for space and feeding joints. While this is part of the natural system of population balance and control, it could get in your way if the species being pushed out is your favorite. 

Control methods

However, there exist several control methods that can be used against these birds. One of the first lines of defense involves banning the feeding of the birds. Muscovy ducks have learnt to forage on their own. However, when these creatures are fed by humans they tend to understand that there is free food and stay put. This makes them associate the site with free handouts and that becomes very difficult to deal with when it comes to evicting them spots they cherish as safe happens packed with free food. However, denting them access to food will force then to move in in search for it, pushing in a place a slow relocation process that will see them move elsewhere where they can access feeds. 

Reproduction control techniques have also been suggested to work well with Muscovy birds. Use of contraceptives as well as collection of eggs and their destruction are two common population control measures that have been frequently administered by professionals in cutting down the reproduction rate of the Muscovy ducks. This helps to keep their population in check and proportional to the available sources of food and other competing needs. Left unchecked the Muscovy ducks can reproduce rapidly and thus lead to sharp competition for food and shelter with other species because of their invasive nature. 

Visual scares have also been proven to be a reliable technique in fighting off the Muscovy ducks. Iris tape is a common ingredient in this mix and its glare in the sun and sound in the wind will certainly make the ducks feel threatened and thus stay out of the guarded areas. Other scary pieces such as predator balloons and images of predators can be deployed to give the Muscovy ducks a sense of their safety being at risk, which will force them to abandon the area to new places where they feel safer. 

Floating bird balls are also an effective deterrent that will keep the Muscovy ducks away. You can install several of these pieces just to ensure the ducks are aware that the place is no safe for them, forcing them to avoid it completely. It should be noted that combining several scare methods is more likely to yield positive results than relying on a single one.

Finally, sound scares are also a fine deal for Muscovy ducks. A combination of specially designed track sequences will psychologically upset the birds, especially because the sounds used here are traumatizing and often point to their colleagues running into danger. This forces the birds off. Playing this sound close to the roosting places of the birds will be more effective in deterring them. 



Also read our other bird tip: Do mothballs or ammonia help repel pigeons?