Here in the South, at least in my area, the 16 ga was not seen much. I am about an hour away from the Duck and Rice Capitol of the world - so 12 ga and 20 most often seen for waterfowl. 20 ga felled a LOT of ducks for me, especially before non-toxic shot was required.
28 ga used for Dove and quail, then again being a Skeet shooter...I had reason to rationalize using the 28 ga bunch, I reloaded. I actually had some places in the old days, before non- toxic shot, one could NOT use anything larger than a 28 ga to fell ducks. Yep ,felled many a duck with a 28 and .410 .
.410, heck everybody had at least one single shot , then there were the model 42 Winchesters, 1300s, 870s and various O/U and SxS.
Too many folks rec'd a .410 single shot as first gun. Deer fell to slugs, as did dove, quail, rabbits , squirrels....you name it.
From kids to grandma's.
I have seen too many times a person go into the local hardware store, Mom& Pop Grocery , gas station...and from a Coffee can buy 4 or 5 .410 shells, half a dozen 20 ga, and maybe a 12 ga slug or two .
A Grandma maybe be hanging clothes on the clothes line, .410 single shot leaning against a stump, darn rabbit in the garden again, grab the H&R , pull a shell from an apron and "pop" - rabbit for supper that night.
Grandpa would often reload that fired .410 hull with popcorn - good way to get the pigeons to fly out of his barn - with out damaging the barn.
It always boils down to the shooter , not the firearm. There is that "tool for the task" dealie, then again if one can shoot, and all you have is a single shot .410 - one tends to learn to shoot.