Most commonly hunted migratory birds in Maryland

Stacker compiled a list of the most commonly hunted migratory birds in Maryland using data from a report released by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in August 2025. Duck and goose species are ranked by the estimated 2024 hunting harvest in Maryland.

In 2024 Maryland had the largest estimated harvest of all states for 2 migratory bird species: Black Duck, Scoters.

#10. Gadwall
- Maryland: 6,610 (0.5% of national harvest)
- National: 1.4 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Arkansas: 295,749 (20.5% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 180,505 (12.5%)
--- #3. Texas: 147,712 (10.2%)
--- #4. Tennessee: 85,775 (5.9%)
--- #5. Oklahoma: 85,682 (5.9%)

#9. Canvasback
- Maryland: 6,757 (5.1% of national harvest)
- National: 133,169
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Louisiana: 26,563 (19.9% of national harvest)
--- #2. North Dakota: 19,527 (14.7%)
--- #3. California: 13,860 (10.4%)
--- #4. Minnesota: 8,743 (6.6%)
--- #5. Wisconsin: 7,891 (5.9%)

#8. Lesser Scaup
- Maryland: 8,372 (3.9% of national harvest)
- National: 213,317
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. North Carolina: 42,218 (19.8% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 21,733 (10.2%)
--- #3. Texas: 21,102 (9.9%)
--- #4. Wisconsin: 14,622 (6.9%)
--- #5. North Dakota: 14,487 (6.8%)

#7. Bufflehead
- Maryland: 14,247 (5.2% of national harvest)
- National: 275,897
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Virginia: 43,421 (15.7% of national harvest)
--- #2. New Jersey: 23,613 (8.6%)
--- #3. California: 20,968 (7.6%)
--- #4. North Carolina: 17,995 (6.5%)
--- #5. Michigan: 16,051 (5.8%)

#6. Wood Duck
- Maryland: 15,422 (0.9% of national harvest)
- National: 1.8 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Georgia: 215,316 (12.1% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 205,256 (11.5%)
--- #3. Arkansas: 175,526 (9.8%)
--- #4. Minnesota: 114,865 (6.4%)
--- #5. Wisconsin: 112,564 (6.3%)

#5. Scoters
- Maryland: 20,053 (22.8% of national harvest)
- National: 88,025
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Maryland: 20,053 (22.8% of national harvest)
--- #2. North Carolina: 16,380 (18.6%)
--- #3. South Carolina: 8,368 (9.5%)
--- #4. New Jersey: 7,194 (8.2%)
--- #5. New York: 6,770 (7.7%)

#4. Green-winged Teal
- Maryland: 25,998 (1.1% of national harvest)
- National: 2.4 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. California: 332,993 (13.9% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 263,211 (11.0%)
--- #3. Texas: 219,022 (9.1%)
--- #4. Arkansas: 209,789 (8.8%)
--- #5. North Carolina: 134,267 (5.6%)

#3. Black Duck
- Maryland: 27,614 (14.7% of national harvest)
- National: 187,389
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Maryland: 27,614 (14.7% of national harvest)
--- #2. New York: 24,822 (13.2%)
--- #3. New Jersey: 18,456 (9.8%)
--- #4. Maine: 14,437 (7.7%)
--- #5. Virginia: 12,723 (6.8%)

#2. Mallard
- Maryland: 44,064 (1.3% of national harvest)
- National: 3.5 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Arkansas: 530,183 (15.3% of national harvest)
--- #2. Oklahoma: 201,683 (5.8%)
--- #3. Missouri: 187,251 (5.4%)
--- #4. Tennessee: 180,965 (5.2%)
--- #5. North Dakota: 164,401 (4.7%)

#1. Canada Goose
- Maryland: 109,109 (4.6% of national harvest)
- National: 2.4 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Michigan: 167,809 (7.1% of national harvest)
--- #2. Minnesota: 149,423 (6.3%)
--- #3. Kansas: 147,696 (6.2%)
--- #4. Wisconsin: 141,923 (6.0%)
--- #5. Illinois: 140,829 (5.9%)