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Follow along with our Migration Map!
After you read our migration reports and watch the migration updates, be sure to check out our Migration Map.
With our Migration Map, you can stay in the know on duck counts, waterfowl surveys, and migration reports from across the country.
Our Migration Map is updated regularly throughout the season, is interactive with various species and observable date ranges, and is completely free-to-use, so be sure to check it out!
'24 - '25 Waterfowl Migration Reports
January 31st, 2025
Migration Report:
(More) postive reports from out west, although certain areas are trending back down. Reports of increased bird counts and success in Central and Mississippi Flyways. Louisiana has highest late-season in count in half-decade!
Moderate change since last week’s report.
In the Mississippi and Central Flyways, reports indicate last week’s cold weather moved some birds down, with states like Arkansas and Louisiana reporting increased counts and Mississippi reporting an uptick in hunter success. Additionally, it’s worth noting that while compared to the long-term, Louisiana’s counts are still down, recent data suggests the strongest late-season duck populations in nearly a half-decade!
Out west, hunter success in certain areas of Central California remains strong, and although it has since trended down, reports have been good in certain areas in Oregon as well.
January 24th, 2025
Migration Report:
Postive reports from out west. Generally poor data in the southern states (with a few exceptions).
Reports out of the southern states—particularly Arkansas and Mississippi—are mixed at best, while hunter success in areas of the Pacific Flyway is trending up.
In Mississippi, data suggests that while the counts are above the recent average for this time of year, this is more of an indication of how poor the past few season have been than the alternative. Hunter success in the state remains largely unchanged.
In Arkansas, by and large the reports are poor versus expectations, with the only bright spot being the Cache River area, which is presently holding a respectable numbers of birds.
Out west, hunter success is trending up in certain areas of California, with reports from areas like Colusa NWR, Delevan NWR, and Volta Wildlife area all very positive.
January 20th, 2025
Migration Report:
Deep freeze followed by a deep thaw. The week ahead (and the last full week of the season) might just turn it around for some waterfowlers in the southern states.
Deep freezes cause ducks and geese to seek refuge in whatever open water they can find, makes viable food sources inaccessible for a period, and oftentimes leads to them continuing their migration.
Conversely, the post-freeze thaw cycle makes habitat available again to birds who have been hunkering down, or those that have newly-arrived, and oftentimes leads to exploration of new habitat.
The week ahead will showcase both scenarios, and we believe sets the stage for potentially promising late-season waterfowling.
January 17th, 2025
Migration Report:
Reports are mixed, and a bit perplexing. Data suggests ducks up north moved up, but reports don’t tend to indicate a systemic increased in concentrations further south.
Reports out of Central MO are that while a good portion of ducks moved out, plenty stuck it out on the river systems as well. This is an important note because prior to the recent trend of cold weather, areas in central and northern MO were holding incredibly high concentrations of ducks. Additionally, areas along the Illinois River, and its confluence with the Mississippi River trended down in duck populations.
So while the data suggests a decrease in duck counts in the central states, there doesn’t seem to have been an in-kind increase in duck counts across the southern states, at least not noticeably so. Areas in Southern IL saw a sizable DECREASE in duck counts, hunter success in MS hasn’t materially changed (been poor) since the New Year, and anecdotal reports out of AR are mixed at best. The only bright spots in the Mississippi Flyway are positive anecdotal reports, and some modest hunter success, where the major river systems meet the Mississippi River in MS and AR.
Out west, hunter success is trending down, with the only modest reports coming from areas near San Luis NWR. And out east, reports are generally favorable in the Santee Delta, and the STAs in southern Florida continue their streak of positive reports.
Note: to fill in some data coverage gaps for this weeks’s post, we’ve included data that you will not find in our Migration Map or elsewhere on our website. However, rest assured that this data is authoritative in nature and meets our criteria for use. Also, sparse data coverage in Arkansas. State-wide coverage data has grown too stale for us to feel it prudent to report on.
January 15th, 2025
Migration Report:
Finally enough of a change for an update–goose concentrations still modest at best in most parts of the country. Central IL relatively highest concentration.
While it’s admittedly been longer than we’d like since our last Canada goose migration update, the situation remained unchanged until recently. For the longest time, there weren’t many (or any) areas of strong concentration known to us outside of the Dakotas. Now, it’s clear to us that not only have the geese moved since mid-December, they’ve moved into a handful of areas in relatively respectable numbers.
In the Mississippi Flyway, Central Illinois is reporting good numbers of Canada geese all along the Illinois river. Out east in the Atlantic Flyway, reports out of the eastern shore are positive. And in the Central Flyway, Southeastern Kansas and North-Central Oklahoma are reporting pockets of moderate-to-good concentrations of Canada geese.
Hopefully as the season continues, tracking of the Canada goose migration will pick back up in relevance and make its way back into your feed. Stay tuned.
January 8th, 2025
Migration Report:
Ducks appear to have begun heading south ahead of the recent cold snap. How many more will be pushed down? Stay tuned!
While probably still a bit too early to tell how many birds have moved southward with this recent cold snap, early time data would suggest a migratory event has occurred since the Christmas holiday.
Reports from the Illinois River and Mississippi River—which had previously been a staging area for a large concentration of waterfowl for what seemed like a month—suggest ducks have moved southward in the new year-with these areas seeing a large portion of their ducks moving out prior to this recent cold snap.
Out west, reports of hunter success in certain areas of California remains respectable, and out east reports from around the Santee River Delta in South Carolina and the Stormwater Treatment Areas of Florida are generally positive recently.
January 6th, 2025
Migration Report:
December was mild and uneventful, but January looks to be starting off with a bang!
While December was relatively mild, uneventful, and left a lot of waterfowlers disenchanted and unimpressed, January is starting off with a bang with a country-wide cold snap and heavy snowfall in some of the areas that historically stage large amounts of ducks and geese—including the “Golden Triangle” of Missouri.
While it’s too little too late for those regions where season is already out, January is showing promise. And for those southern states whose seasons are still in, we believe a migration event is likely over the course of the week.
Stay tuned to our social media and our website to follow along with the migration this year!
December 27th, 2024
Migration Report:
CA and FL hunter success remains strong! Data reporting slow over the holidays, growing stale or sparse in Mississippi Flyway.
With the holidays taking place mid-week, it should come as no surprise that reporting this week was a little (or a lot) lighter than normal. That said, there is still some insights to glean from the information we do have on had.
First, not much has changed from our perspective along the Mississippi or Central Flyways. While admittedly a fair portion of the data we do have is either growing stale (IL) or remains sparse (AR), there hasn’t been a ton of anecdotal reports to suggest a major shift has occurred in these areas. It would still seem a (relatively) large share of the birds remain in north-central Missouri and Illinois.
In the Pacific and Atlantic Flyways, while the report might seem similar as last week’s, the data is fresh(er) and suggests a holding trend—hunter success is relatively high in California this past week across many of the popular water fowling areas, and in southern Florida success is reportedly STELLAR—particularly for those targeting blue winged teal.
December 20th, 2024
Migration Report:
Numbers still strong in the central portion of Mississippi Flyway, but indications of southward movements. Sac Valley of CA and South Florida reporting strong hunter success.
While this week’s migration report might not look too different from the one a few weeks back, there have still be some developments worth mentioning that will encourage hunters across the flyway.
Across northern Missouri, the Illinois River in Illinois, and the Mississippi River between the two there are extremely high concentrations of birds—indicating the migration has likely peaked in the mid-point of the Mississippi Flyway. Additionally, while our data coverage for Arkansas and Tennessee remains sparse at the moment, the relative decrease in birds from the areas of Missouri and Illinois suggest there have been movements of birds southward into the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley.
Reports out of the Central flyway have tamed over the past week, with central Kansas and the region between the Arkansas and Neosho Rivers in Kansas and Oklahoma the only areas reporting modest populations at present.
And finally, on opposite ends of the country, hunter success in the Stormwater Treatment areas of South Florida and in the Sac Valley of California have picked up to very good levels.
December 12th, 2024
Migration Report:
Numbers are building in the northern half of the Central and Mississippi Flyways, but not apparent signs of a major migratory push.
This report can best be summed up by the phase “building numbers, no apparent major migratory movements.
In the Central Flyway, reports are moderate-or-better from the northern portion to about the half-way mark, with South Dakota reporting moderate-to-good numbers of geese, and central Kansas as well. However, it would appear the front edge of the migratory push hasn’t quite reached the Sooner states, as these positive reports fall off around the Kansas-Oklahoma border.
In the Mississippi Flyway northern Iowa and Illinois are reporting respectable numbers of geese, with north central Iowa currently holding the largest relative concentration.
December 10th, 2024
Migration Report:
Large numbers of ducks arriving in Missouri. Hunter success reportedly cooling across much of Pacific Flyway. Kansas and Oklahoma reporting fair numbers and hunter success.
On the heels of the cold snap from a few weeks ago, cooler weather since, and snowfall accumulations in the Prairie Pothole Breeding Region (PPBR), it appears a large push of birds have moved southward.
Reports out of the Mississippi Flyway are positive. Areas in NW and Central Missouri are reportedly hosting half a million ducks. However, the relatively highest concentration of birds at the moment appear to be along the lower reaches of the Illinois River, and where it meets the Mississippi River.
Additionally, while the populations have reportedly been both waxing and waning in the Central Flyway, Central Kansas and the northern extents of Oklahoma are reporting mixtures of moderate bird concentrations and fair hunting conditions.
In the Pacific flyway, while hunting success in Oregon has reportedly cooled, along with some areas in California, areas near Merced and San Luis NWR in the Golden State are reporting good hunter success.
Out east, the reports out to the coastal marshes of South Carolina are of good hunter success.
Lastly, out west in the Pacific Flyway it would seem reports are cooling off but there are still areas reporting modest hunter success.
December 3rd, 2024
Migration Report:
Birds have moved south, with relatively high concentrations in southern Kansas and where the Illinois meets the Mississippi Rivers in Missouri.
With the most recent up-north snowfall and country-wide cold snap, it would appear ducks have moved southward.
Mid-flyway states like Kansas and Missouri are both reporting higher concentrations, with southeastern and south-central Kansas and where the Illinois River meets the Mississippi River in Missouri reporting the highest relative concentrations.
Lastly, out west in the Pacific Flyway it would seem reports are cooling off but there are still areas reporting modest hunter success.
Remember: No data DOES NOT mean no waterfowl! It means we have no data coverage for that area at this time. Arkansas is great example of this—our coverage of the Natural State is still sparse for this time of year.
November 27th, 2024
Migration Report:
Evidence of birds moving south with last week’s weather in Missouri and Iowa. Big potential for the week ahead.
We have high hopes (and maybe even high expectations) for the week ahead.
Evidence of southward movement on the heels of last weeks’ cold(er) weather and snow was apparent, with Iowa and Missouri both picking up new birds since our last report.
Further south however, Mississippi’s duck populations are at nearly 10-year lows for this time of year. Couple that with counts out of certain parts of Louisiana a few weeks ago being the lowest on record, and I think its fair to say
The Illinois River and its confluence with the Mississippi River continues to boast the highest relative duck concentrations this week, with northern Kansas and northwest Missouri reporting respectable populations as well.
No major updates one way or the other for the Pacific or Atlantic Flyway this week, but stay tuned for updates on the back-end of this weeks’ weather!
November 26th, 2024
Migration Report:
Conditions are as good as we’ve seen all season for a major migratory push in all four flyways.
The week ahead has huge potential: snows across much of the north and major waterfowl migratory stops, sub-zero temperatures in the Dakotas, and winds blowing southward southward from all of these areas.
We believe the conditions are as good as we’ve seen all season for a major migratory event in all four flyways—with particular emphasis in certain areas of the Pacific, Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways.
November 22nd, 2024
Migration Report:
Migratory reports best summed up as “stable”; some states report increases, others report decreases.
Conventional wisdom suggests it takes a lot of weather to move Canada geese southward, and that seems to be the case so far this season.
The most promising data all seems to be out of the Dakotas and Minnesota, where reports are suggesting good numbers of geese. It’s unclear however if these reported numbers are objectively good or relatively good—meaning better than it has been (which has been pretty poor so far).
In other states, the data is not overly remarkable, with some states like Illinois reporting slight more influx than efflux, while states like Iowa are reporting the opposite. Either way, not much change appears to be happening one way or the other.
November 21st, 2024
Migration Report:
Hunter success waning in Pacific Flyway, bird concentrations high along the Illinois River, and Migratory weather is upon us!
With snow in the prairie pothole region accompanied by country-wide cold(er) temps and north winds—we believe the first migratory event of the season could be upon us. And while it’s nothing in comparison to some of the deep freezes we’ve had in years past, with how this season has gone thus far we’ll gladly take it!
In the Mississippi Flyway, reported duck concentrations are highest (relatively speaking) along the Illinois River and its confluence with the Mississippi River. However, it’s worth noting that there are roughly as many G.W. Teal and Northern Pintail as there are mallards in these areas—indicating there is still plenty of migration to occur there.
In the Central Flyway, Kansas—particularly central Kansas—seems to be reporting increasing bird populations by the day.
And finally out west in the Pacific Flyway, it seems hunter success has waned a bit in the recent week, but there are still favorable reports coming out of areas in the Sac Valley of California, and around Summer Lake in Oregon.
November 19th, 2024
Migration Report:
Data suggests the migration IS occurring, and the week ahead looks very promising!
Despite how it may seem, the migration IS occurring!
Data from many of the central states are showing notable increases in duck counts over the past few weeks. States like Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri have all shown significant increases between mid-to-late October and early November.
Additionally, the week ahead holds some weather that FINALLY has some migratory potential.
November 13th, 2024
Migration Report:
Despite uncooperative weather and winds, signs indicate that geese are on the move.
Between this report and last for geese, not much has changed weather-wise. Central and Midwestern states received some much-needed rainfall, but that was about it. Not much snow cover exists, not many reservoirs (if any) are frozen over, and the temps are still abnormally high. Still, signs are pointing to some movement in Canada geese.
Reports out of Minnesota indicate good things ahead, with more birds arriving than leaving, while indications from states to the south like Iowa and Illinois suggest more birds leaving than arriving. A couple states to the west, Kansas and Oklahoma are reporting modest, but increasing, counts.
So while the weather hasn’t been conducive to a major migratory event for any fowl, let alone the hardiest of them all, signs are pointing to some movement nevertheless.
November 12th, 2024
Migration Report:
While nothing stands out, all signs are pointing to a migration that is underway.
While there has been hardly any noteworthy migratory weather since our last update (or yet this season, for that matter), our data suggests the migration is picking up.
The Illinois River—and its confluence with the Mississippi River—are starting to see increased populations of waterfowl, and reports from along the lower stretches of the Missouri River indicate the same.
In the Central Flyway, areas in central Kansas are reporting fair-to-good amounts of birds, and Oklahoma is starting to show signs of small influxes.
And finally out west in the Pacific Flyway, hunters are having success in certain areas of California and Oregon and the reservoirs and refuges of Nevada are hosting respectable numbers of migratory birds.
So all of this to say, while nothing is standing out to us at the moment, signs are pointing to a migration that is underway.
November 6th, 2024
Migration Report:
Same song, different singers with dark geese. Warm weather and little migratory potential has led to little movement and seemingly low numbers.
We generally subscribe to the old adage that whatever migratory events take place for ducks, dial it back a bit and that’s about what you can expect for dark geese. While we’ve not taken a look at the long-term evidence to suggest if that’s true or not (let us know what you think in the comments below!), it surely seems that way this report.
And since it has seemed to be a pretty slow duck migration so far this year, we aren’t too surprised to not be tracking, or hearing of, much movement of dark geese; numbers in the northern states are seemingly lower-than-usual, and populations in the central states are about on par.
One example that sticks out to us however, are recent counts in West Central IL, which while aren’t incredibly high, are 30% above the average for this time of year.
We are still early on in the 24-25 season, so stay tuned!
November 5th, 2024
Migration Report:
The slow start to the 2024-2025 migration continues in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. Hunters finding success in California.
While much of the central United States recently received much-needed rain we called out last post, the warm spell seemingly continues; in some parts of the United States, talk was that this October was one of the warmest on record. So it should come as no surprise that the migration seems behind schedule this year.
Counts in Iowa are still well below the 10-year average, and comparatively seem a few weeks behind schedule. And in Minnesota, reports mainly seem to be of folks waiting for another push, or seeing more birds going out than coming in.
Still, there are some bright spots leading one to believe the migration is slowly, but surely, occurring. Reports out of South Dakota are that, while nothing to write home about, it seems new birds are starting to arrive. And in certain areas of California—like Sutter or Merced—hunters are reporting good success.
While not off to the start anyone was hoping for, we are still in the early innings of this ball game, so be sure to stay tuned
October 23rd, 2024
Migration Report:
Warm weather, unfavorably migration conditions lead to slow start to the migration.
Welcome back to another season of migration tracking. If you’re new here—welcome! And if you’re returning for another season—welcome back!
Warm weather, drought conditions across much of the United States, and less-than-ideal migratory conditions so far have led to a migration that doesn’t seem to have started in earnest yet. For example, populations in Missouri and Illinois are presently a fraction of what they normally are for this time of year, and some reports out of northern states like Minnesota indicate slow, and relatively small, influxes of new birds on the heels of cooler weather.
While our first report of the 2024-2025 season is less than ideal, we want to acknowledge that we are effectively acting as commentator to a game that is still early on in the first quarter—there is still plenty of time for Mother Nature to do her thing!
Be sure to stay tuned this season!
Migration Report:
Warm weather, unfavorably migration conditions lead to slow start to the migration.
October 16th, 2024
Migration Report:
Super moon, cool weather, (somewhat) supportive winds, not much weather. Mixed bag of conditions for migration potential, but we think the migration could begin in the week(s) ahead.
Cooler weather and a full (Super!) moon are both reasons to anticipate some southward migrations of waterfowl.
In this video we breakdown why conditions might not be perfect for a big early-season push, but we think we should expect to see some new arrivals in the week(s) ahead.
And also, Migration Station’s migration map will be live by October 21st!
Stay tuned to our social media and our website to follow along with the migration this year!