Management of migratory waterfowl operates at many different scales, spans a large geographic area, and involves a large set of actors and stakeholders. Coordination and collaboration are therefore required to ensure effective management across each species’ entire life cycle. Additionally, effective management of such a complex social-ecological system requires alignment between the social and ecological processes at play. Management of migratory waterfowl is, in many ways, designed to be collaborative and has been particularly successful relative to other species. I sought to identify evidence of social-ecological fit within waterfowl management and understand the extent to which success is attributed to collaboration. Using a qualitative study design, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 32 individuals working across the Pacific Flyway in different sectors and analyzed the interview transcripts using an inductive coding process. I found patterns in management goals and approaches that align with the ecological system across the flyway. Participants agreed that collaboration is critical to successful management, and that collaboration itself is a metric of success. This research has implications for understanding what leads to successful management of migratory species in general and may help identify opportunities for improved collaboration within the waterfowl community.