The North Dakota Game and Fish Department conducted its annual midwinter waterfowl survey in early January, reporting approximately 88,000 Canada geese and 3,225 mallards present in the state. John Palarski, the department’s migratory game bird biologist, explained that the below-average numbers were anticipated this year due to cold weather conditions experienced in late November and early January.
Palarski stated, “The majority of waterfowl that winter in North Dakota can be found along the Missouri River System. Following a record-setting count in 2024, we counted fewer geese and mallards than normal this year, which was directly due to the amount of ice cover across the state.” He further noted that despite limited snow cover currently, “cold temperatures in November and early January pushed many birds south and froze a considerable portion of the open water.”
