Most commonly hunted migratory birds in North Carolina

Stacker compiled a list of the most commonly hunted migratory birds in North Carolina 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 North Carolina.

In 2024 North Carolina had the largest estimated harvest of all states for 1 migratory bird species: Lesser Scaup.

#10. Scoters
- North Carolina: 16,380 (18.6% 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%)

#9. Wigeon
- North Carolina: 16,610 (2.3% 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%)

#8. Bufflehead
- North Carolina: 17,995 (6.5% 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%)

#7. Ring-necked Duck
- North Carolina: 19,379 (3.1% of national harvest)
- National: 626,648
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Florida: 140,058 (22.4% of national harvest)
--- #2. Minnesota: 53,061 (8.5%)
--- #3. South Carolina: 44,351 (7.1%)
--- #4. Texas: 43,659 (7.0%)
--- #5. Louisiana: 42,862 (6.8%)

#6. Mallard
- North Carolina: 24,223 (0.7% 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%)

#5. Canada Goose
- North Carolina: 30,975 (1.3% 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%)

#4. Gadwall
- North Carolina: 37,373 (2.6% 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%)

#3. Lesser Scaup
- North Carolina: 42,218 (19.8% 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%)

#2. Wood Duck
- North Carolina: 104,045 (5.8% 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%)

#1. Green-winged Teal
- North Carolina: 134,267 (5.6% 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%)