Maryland’s 2025 Midwinter Waterfowl Survey Shows Higher Bird Counts
A waterfowl survey airplane prepares to take off, Maryland DNR photo by Stephen Badger.
Aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have completed their annual population estimates of ducks, geese, and swans along the state’s Chesapeake Bay, tidal Potomac River and Atlantic coast shorelines.
This year, the teams counted about 705,300 waterfowl, which was higher than both the 593,200 birds observed in 2024 and the most recent five-year average of 624,300 birds.
“Wintering waterfowl distribution and abundance is influenced by many factors, including weather, food availability, annual changes in population, and habitat quality,” said Wildlife and Heritage Director Karina Stonesifer. “The midwinter waterfowl survey allows our biologists to measure distributional changes and long-term trends of wintering waterfowl in Maryland.”
Overall, estimated numbers of dabbling duck (126,000) were higher than the 2024 count of 91,300 birds. The number of mallards (62,300) and black ducks (47,600) were higher than their respective 5-year averages (54,740 and 27,840).
The 2025 midwinter survey was conducted during the first two weeks of January. Biologists counted 414,200 Canada geese in the 2025 survey, which was higher than both the 350,500 geese counted in 2024 and the 5-year average of 354,760. Overall, higher dabbling duck and Canada goose numbers likely reflect the cold weather observed in December and January.
The Midwinter Waterfowl Survey has been conducted annually since the early 1960s and covers most of the tidal shorelines and near-shore waterfowl habitat in Maryland.
Results of the past five surveys are below. The survey was not conducted in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.
Midwinter Waterfowl Survey Results (rounded to the nearest 100)
Species
2020
2022
2023
2024
2025
Mallard
56,000
53,500
56,800
45,100
62,300
Black Duck
21,000
24,600
21,800
24,200
47,600
Gadwall
10,800
6,800
3,400
2,600
2,000
Widgeon
1,100
300
1,900
500
3,800
Green-winged Teal
2,000
6,900
6,200
17,500
8,900
Shoveler
300
900
200
100
100
Pintail
1,800
4,600
3,300
1,300
1,300
Total Dabblers
93,000
97,600
93,600
91,300
126,000
Redhead
10,600
7,000
12,800
10,000
5,700
Canvasback
46,900
7,700
57,800
18,800
28,500
Scaup
59,000
29,500
74,000
28,400
36,900
Ring-necked Duck
3,000
2,100
6,200
7,000
5,900
Goldeneye
300
100
400
300
300
Bufflehead
11,400
10,600
16,800
16,300
13,200
Ruddy Duck
18,500
22,400
22,300
39,500
9,700
Total Divers
149,700
79,400
190,300
120,300
100,200
Scoters
5,700
1,300
3,400
1,800
4,200
Long-tailed Duck
200
100
100
100
500
Mergansers
2,300
1,400
1,700
1,900
2,400
Total Ducks
250,900
179,800
289,100
215,400
233,300
Brant
900
200
400
1,100
800
Snow Goose
40,900
13,600
12,500
16,100
40,200
Canada Goose
327,200
361,100
320,800
350,500
414,200
Tundra Swan
7,100
7,400
7,300
9,600
12,900
Total Waterfowl
627,000
563,800
632,200
593,200
705,300
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