2025 Maryland Midwinter Waterfowl Survey

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diving ducks
Diving Ducks

Aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 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 during the 2024 midwinter survey.

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.

The Maryland survey results are ultimately pooled to provide a measure of the distributional changes and long-term trends of waterfowl wintering in the Atlantic Flyway.

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Related Information

Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl

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