California Duck Migration Report 2026: Counts and Timing

Q: Which ducks come through California first?

In California, blue-winged teal climb first, from around the week of Sep 21, and common goldeneye come last, from around the week of Nov 16. That is the week each species' share of bird observations first passes the halfway mark between its July level and its fall high; the species chart shows all of them week by week.

Q: What flyway is California in?

California is in the Pacific Flyway. The western corridor from Alaska down the coast states and Great Basin. The freeze watch for California reads forecast lows at the Pacific Flyway's northern staging areas: Freezeout Lake, Klamath Falls.

Q: How many ducks are on the continent this fall?

The 2026 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service breeding survey estimated 33.4 ± 0.6 million birds, 6% below the long-term average of 35.4 ± 0.09 million. That is the fall flight's starting point for every state, California included.

Q: When does duck season open in California?

Season dates, zones and bag limits for California are set by the state wildlife agency inside the federal frameworks and are listed on the California waterfowl season page, linked below.

Week of Nov 16

Usual fall high in observations

2016 to 2025

Week of Nov 2

Usually climbing from

halfway up from the July level

4

Agency surveys

listed below

Pacific

Flyway

freeze watch below

The agency counts

The nearest counts to California on the Pacific Flyway

The nearest agency counts on the Pacific Flyway are in Oregon (about 470 miles away), measured center to center, so read them as the flyway’s trend rather than a count of California’s own birds.

2026 fall count

Summer Lake Wildlife Area Weekly Waterfowl Counts

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (Summer Lake Wildlife Area) · Oregon · about 470 miles from California

Counted October 7, 2026

31,865 ducks

470 snow and Ross's geese the same week

In the agency’s words

Summer Lake Wildlife Area Weekly Waterfowl Counts Ducks ... 9/22 - 9/28 33,285 ... 9/29 - 10/5 30,700 ... 10/6 - 10/12 31,865 44,802 50,856 97,073 36,057 60,839 59,687 39,728 42,368 42,785 51,879 57,925

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (Summer Lake Wildlife Area), October 7, 2026. Read it at the source

Ducks, geese, swans and coots on the Summer Lake Wildlife Area in south central Oregon, counted each week of the season and set against past years

How often: Weekly, early September to late January
Season: September to January
The usual peak: 10/6 - 10/12, the highest week in the Pre 5-Yr average column (57,925 ducks)
Long term: Pre 5-Yr average for 10/6 - 10/12: 57,925 ducks
Counted at: Summer Lake Wildlife Area

The agency’s survey page The report this count is from Read October 8, 2026

Counts from earlier seasons in California

Earlier seasons

Central Valley Midwinter Waterfowl Survey

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Waterfowl Unit (with USFWS and the Central Valley Joint Venture)

Last published midwinter survey, January 2024

6,015,277 ducks, 161,457 mallards

2,581,153 northern pintail, the most abundant duck (39% of total birds)

In the agency’s words, and the survey

An estimate of 6.02 million ducks and 6.620 million total birds (i.e., ducks, coots, and cranes) were estimated across the entire Central Valley Joint Venture planning area. Most waterfowl were observed in the Sacramento Valley (49%), followed by Yolo-Delta (40%)

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Waterfowl Unit (with USFWS and the Central Valley Joint Venture), January 2024. Read it at the source

Ducks, coots and sandhill cranes wintering in the Central Valley, by species and region, from aerial transects each January

How often: Once a year: conducted in the first or second week of January and continues until complete, or until 30 January
Season: January to January
The usual peak: January: the survey window ensures all waterfowl have arrived from northern latitudes and densities are at their peak
Long term: total waterfowl survey average 4.714 million, from the five standardized years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2023
Counted at: Sacramento Valley, Yolo-Delta, Tulare Basin, San Joaquin Valley, Suisun Marsh, Salton Sea, San Francisco Bay

The agency’s survey page The report this count is from Read October 8, 2026

Earlier seasons

Klamath Basin refuge aerial waterfowl survey (Lower Klamath and Tule Lake NWR)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex

High count of the last season flown, March 7, 2025

334,732 ducks

Funding cuts eliminated aerial surveys beginning fall 2025. This marks the end of the nation's longest-running refuge-based aerial waterfowl survey.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Read it at the source

About the survey

Ducks and geese on Lower Klamath and Tule Lake national wildlife refuges, from the air, during fall and spring migration; ended after the 2024-25 season

How often: Ten aerial surveys between fall 2024 and spring 2025; discontinued from fall 2025
Counted at: Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

The agency’s survey page Read October 8, 2026

Earlier seasons

Sacramento NWR Complex Waterfowl Survey Summary

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Newest published count, September 2022

103,904 ducks, 5,757 mallards

66,713 northern pintail

In the agency’s words, and the survey

September - Sacramento NWR Complex Waterfowl Survey Summary ... # Mallard 3,730 1,370 536 6 50 65 5,757 # Northern pintail 35,850 15,300 13,738 0 1,800 25 66,713 ... TOTAL # DUCKS 61,430 24,430 15,806 6 2,140 0 103,904

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, September 2022. Read it at the source

Ducks, geese, swans and cranes on the Sacramento Valley refuges and two wildlife management areas, by species and refuge, from monthly ground counts

How often: Once a month, mid-month, on all wetland refuges of the complex
Counted at: Sacramento NWR, Delevan NWR, Colusa NWR, Sutter NWR, Butte Sink Unit of Butte Sink WMA, Llano Seco Unit of Steve Thompson North Central Valley WMA

The agency’s survey page The report this count is from Read October 8, 2026

Observations this week

California against a normal year

Observations this week in California

Duck observations here usually reach their fall high around the week of Nov 16. Counting this week’s research grade observations.

Observations this week in the Pacific Flyway

Duck observations here usually reach their fall high around the week of Nov 16. Counting this week’s research grade observations.

Which ducks come through California, and when

Each row is one species’ share of California bird observations by week from August to July, darkest at its high point, from research grade iNaturalist observations 2016 to 2025. The last column is the week each species first comes four fifths of the way from its July level to its August to December high.

SpeciesAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulUsual fall high

Mallarddabblingno fall rise; as common in summer

Green-winged tealdabblingweek of Nov 23holds into winter

Blue-winged tealdabblingweek of Oct 12holds into winter

Northern pintaildabblingweek of Nov 23holds into winter

American wigeondabblingweek of Nov 9holds into winter

Gadwalldabblingweek of Nov 23

Wood duckdabblingno fall rise; as common in summer

Canvasbackdivingweek of Nov 30holds into winter

Redheaddivingweek of Dec 14holds into winter

Lesser scaupdivingweek of Dec 14holds into winter

Greater scaupdivingweek of Dec 7holds into winter

Ring-necked duckdivingweek of Nov 16holds into winter

Buffleheaddivingweek of Nov 16holds into winter

Common goldeneyedivingweek of Nov 23holds into winter

What moves the birds

Freeze watch up the Pacific Flyway

When the shallow water at the northern staging areas locks up, dabbling ducks move south to open water. These are the National Weather Service seven day forecast lows there, with nights at or below 28°F marked.

Freeze watch on the Pacific Flyway

Reading the seven day forecast lows at Freezeout Lake, Klamath Falls.

Two ring-necked ducks swimming in dark open water along the edge of a sheet of ice — Ring-necked ducks on the open water left at the ice edge, Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. When the shallow pools lock up, the birds that feed in them have to move. “Ring-Necked Duck in Winter Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge South Dakota (54202161621)”, USFWS Mountain-Prairie (Liz Julian), Public domain

This spring

How many ducks were raised in California this spring

Spring breeding survey

California Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Waterfowl Unit

Spring breeding survey, May 2026

435,937 ducks

267,101 of them mallards

Gadwalls (Mareca strepera) decreased 44% from 2025 and are 28% below the long-term average.

In the agency’s words

Total breeding ducks in the survey area decreased 10% from 2025 (435,937 ± 42,688) and 18% below LTA (Table 1). The most abundant duck species were mallards (267,101 ± 34,278), gadwall (61,658 ± 17,299), cinnamon teal (39,745 ± 12,979), and northern shoveler (30,335 ± 9,582).

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Waterfowl Unit, May 2026. Read it at the source

Breeding ducks in the Central Valley and northeastern California, estimated from spring aerial transects; a spring index, not a migration count

How often: Once a year in spring (2026: April 20 to 28 in the Central Valley, May 6 to 7 in northeastern California)
Season: April to May
Long term: Total ducks long-term average 531,886; mallard long-term average 317,819 (long-term average for 1992 to 2025, ducks and coots)

The agency’s survey page The report this count is from Read October 8, 2026

California duck migration questions

When do ducks migrate through California?

Duck observations in California usually climb from the week of Nov 2 and reach their fall high around the week of Nov 16, and the share stays that high into January; they stay above the halfway mark between their July level and that high through the week of Mar 16. That is from ten years of research grade iNaturalist observations, 2016 to 2025, counted as a share of all bird observations so the growth of the app does not skew it.

Where are ducks counted in California?

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Waterfowl Unit runs the California Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey, spring breeding survey, last flown in May 2026 (435,937 ducks, 267,101 mallards). California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Waterfowl Unit (with USFWS and the Central Valley Joint Venture) runs the Central Valley Midwinter Waterfowl Survey, whose newest published count is from January 2024 (6,015,277 ducks, 161,457 mallards). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex flew the Klamath Basin refuge aerial waterfowl survey (Lower Klamath and Tule Lake NWR); the last season it was flown peaked at 334,732 ducks on March 7, 2025, and the agency has since ended the survey. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex runs the Sacramento NWR Complex Waterfowl Survey Summary, whose newest published count is from September 2022 (103,904 ducks, 5,757 mallards). Each count links to the agency's own report.

Which ducks come through California first?

What flyway is California in?

How many ducks are on the continent this fall?

When does duck season open in California?

More for the California season

Duck migration on every flywayEvery agency count, the freeze watch and this week's observations, flyway by flyway.California waterfowl seasonDuck season dates, zones and limits for California.California pheasant seasonOpening day and the agency's own outlook for California.California sandhill cranesWhere and when the cranes stage in California.Fall bird migrationThe songbird and raptor migration, state by state.Eagle watchingWhere bald eagles gather at open water in winter.Hunting licensesWhat a license costs, and the duck stamp that goes with it.

Duck migration in other states

Agency counts read up to October 8, 2026, each from the page linked on its card, and the agency’s own report is the one that governs. Observation curves from iNaturalist research grade records 2016 to 2025; this week’s figures and the forecast lows are read when the page opens. Every state is on the duck migration report.