SUMMARYGreater knowledge about the characteristics and nutritional quality of duck meat makes it possible to implement initiatives aimed at promoting higher per capita consumption. The objective of this review was to gather available information on the use of aquatic birds, with a focus on the Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata), in human food. The Muscovy duck can have a carcass yield of up to 74% and breast of up to 26%; its meat has excellent nutritional value due to its high protein content (18.6 to 20.8%), high polyunsaturated fatty acid content (20 to 40% of the total fatty acids) and low intramuscular fat content (2.7 to 8.2%). The global market for duck meat shows an upward trend in production and per capita consumption on the rise due to the great acceptance of the traditional consumer market for processed products based on duck meat.