Most commonly hunted migratory birds in Rhode Island

Stacker compiled a list of the most commonly hunted migratory birds in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island.

#10. Wood Duck
- Rhode Island: 244 (0.0% 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%)

#9. Hooded Merganser
- Rhode Island: 275 (0.2% of national harvest)
- National: 132,412
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Kentucky: 11,331 (8.6% of national harvest)
--- #2. North Carolina: 11,304 (8.5%)
--- #3. Minnesota: 8,743 (6.6%)
--- #4. Louisiana: 8,452 (6.4%)
--- #5. New York: 8,164 (6.2%)

#8. Scoters
- Rhode Island: 291 (0.3% 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%)

#7. Wigeon
- Rhode Island: 397 (0.1% of national harvest)
- National: 734,408
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. California: 156,546 (21.3% of national harvest)
--- #2. Washington: 87,852 (12.0%)
--- #3. Texas: 65,124 (8.9%)
--- #4. Oregon: 48,830 (6.6%)
--- #5. North Dakota: 41,888 (5.7%)

#5. Gadwall (tie)
- Rhode Island: 488 (0.0% 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%)

#5. Mallard (tie)
- Rhode Island: 488 (0.0% 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%)

#4. Eiders
- Rhode Island: 776 (6.5% of national harvest)
- National: 12,029
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Massachusetts: 4,347 (36.1% of national harvest)
--- #2. New York: 4,232 (35.2%)
--- #3. Maine: 1,809 (15.0%)
--- #4. Rhode Island: 776 (6.5%)
--- #5. Connecticut: 432 (3.6%)

#3. Bufflehead
- Rhode Island: 916 (0.3% 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%)

#2. Black Duck
- Rhode Island: 1,740 (0.9% 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%)

#1. Canada Goose
- Rhode Island: 2,772 (0.1% 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%)