The 2025–26 season was our biggest year yet! We received over 5,000 applications and selected over 1,300 participants from 49 states, including Alaska for the first time! As of April 2026, we received 1,268 samples from over 1,000 returned kits. We expect additional samples to be returned over the coming months.
| Participants and Samples by Flyway | ||
|---|---|---|
| Participants | Samples | |
| Pacific | 97 | 215 |
| Central | 100 | 234 |
| Mississippi | 128 | 365 |
| Atlantic | 124 | 321 |
| Unreported | 68 | 133 |
| Total | 517 | 1268 |
We explored the use of duckDNA for avian disease monitoring, which we hope to implement in the 2026–27 season.
We expanded goose sampling, collecting data from five times as many geese as last season.
We detected genetic material from 27 duck and goose species, including five identified for the first time in our sampling program.
We genetically confirmed nine new hybrid combinations, including an American Wigeon × Redhead and a Ring‑necked Duck × wild Mallard hybrid.
During the 2025–26 season, we received 344 samples from 46 states that contained game-farm ancestry. We documented eight different game-farm Mallard hybrid combinations.
Thanks to your overwhelming support, our 2024-25 season was an incredible success. At this time, our application portal is closed, but we anticipate reopening by August. Stay informed of the latest updates and future opportunities by providing your email address and following us on Instagram and Facebook.
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