Get Your Duck (Conservation) Stamp Now!
June 26, 2009
Article in: Bird Conservation
Federal Duck Stamps are the single best way to conserve habitat for birds and other wildlife. 98% of the $15.00 cost goes directly to improving and purchasing habitat. This is land that is not just for ducks or duck hunters.
Purchase your stamp (get two!) here.
6 Ways to Make a Better Duck Stamp
July 21, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
1998 Duck Stamp featuring Barrow’s Goldeneye
The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp [Duck Stamp] is now in its 75th year of existance and still provides one of the best sources of funding for direct conservation. However, many birders are unaware of the importance of these stamps so we offer the following suggestions.
#1 – Rename the stamp to “Bird Conservation Stamp”. Not only is this more rememberable and easy to say, it is also more meaningful. Spreading information about the stamp through “bird of mouth” is much more doable with a better name.
#2 – Increase the price to $20.00: While we don’t like volunteering to spend extra cash, the price of a duck stamp is worth it and the fact that 98% of the value goes to conservation, a higher price will more than make up for some people’s feelings that it is too steep.
#3 – Have more birds featured on the stamps. By moving away from waterfowl, many other birds with good “street appeal”, the stamps could feature several birds each year, making them more appealing to collectors as well as conservationists.
#4 – Create an enlarged stamp: An oversized stamp (for a higher price) could be put on your car or given as a gift. It would be fun to show off and could even give you special access to areas in NWRs that are normally off-limits.
#5 – Go digital: No, don’t ever make a virtual stamp, but instead tie the stamp into an online database. You could enter a specific number on the stamp and then discover which NWRs or land purchases are benefiting from your stamp. By showing where the dollars go, people will be enticed to buy more and it will create a more transparent experience. Knowing your stamp is making a difference is a powerful thing.
#6 – Promote the stamp like crazy: There is no reason why all 47 million birders should not purchase at least one stamp a year. Many a birder is unaware of the importance and value of these stamps as conservation tools. Birders provide a major force for conservation and can improve the environment immensely, even with a relatively small investment of a “Bird Conservation Stamp”.
1999 Duck Stamp featuring Greater Scaup
The Midwest Rocks Duck Stamp Sales
July 16, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
When it comes to Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) sales certain states stand out. As expected, states with lots of wetlands and hence, lots of duck hunters, lead the way in total duck stamps purchased since 1934. But as we know, the Duck Stamp has morphed into one of the nation’s best ways to conserve land, so if there is land to protect in your state, it doesn’t matter how many hunters are there.
Disclaimer: These rankings have nothing to do with our opinion of the states themselves or the people who live in them. We love each and every state and feel that all states are responsible for bird conservation.
Top Five
#1 – Minnesota – Having a relatively low population and leading the way in total sales, 9.13 million, Minnesota is the clear winner when it comes to Duck Stamps. Benefiting from many many lakes full of waterfowl helps, but stamps = conservation and Minnesota = great!
#2 – Louisiana – The Pelican State has sold 5.72 million stamps and has the fourth most NWRs of any state.
#3 – North Dakota – With the most National Wildlife Refuges of any state, North Dakota has sold 2.6 million duck stamps. With seemingly more prairie potholes than people, this is one of the best birding places in the U.S.
#4 – South Dakota – With only a few more people than North Dakota and roughly the same amount of stamps sold – 2.6 million – the home of Mount Rushmore has been pulling its weight when it comes to buying stamps. There are plenty of places to bird in South Dakota and more on the way!
#5 – Wisconsin – Our second home and northern neighbor, the Badger State has sold over 1 million more stamps than Louisiana (6.78 million) but with over a million more people. Wisconsin has an extremely active birding community and a wide range of habitats, which means a lot of great birds can be found!
Fact: 34 states have sold over 1 million Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps
The Slackers
#1 – Florida – In a state full of warm weather and great birds, nearly all of the 18+ million residents should be birders. Sadly, this is not the case and the Sunshine State has only sold a meager 1.61 million stamps. There is definitely room for improvement here and the rewards will be worth it!
#2 – Arizona – One of the most birdiest states in the country, Arizona has only managed to sell around 554,000 stamps. This is the 8th lowest amount even with a population of over 6 million people.
#3 – Hawaii – While not known for ducks or duck hunters, Hawaii still has a good amount of NWRs and a relatively large population for its size. However, the Aloha State has sold the least amount of duck stamps of any state, only 8,752!
Final Thoughts
Our home state of Illinois ranks somewhere in the middle. We have a high population (due to the Chicago area) and 4.91 million duck stamps sold. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of National Wildlife Refuges in our state and the best ones are a fairly long drive away (in southern Illinois).
But it doesn’t really matter where you live or how many refuges are nearby, duck stamps do more than save ducks or give you the ability to hunt ducks. These stamps are a bird conservationist’s best friend, so buy a few now. They make great gifts!
Waterfowl Featured on Duck Stamps
July 9, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
1992-1993 stamp featuring Spectacled Eider
The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp has been in place for 75 years, starting back in the 1934-1935 season with a Mallard. Since then, the stamp has changed a lot in quality and price. But one thing that has not changed is that 98% of the cost of the stamp goes to conservation, a truly remarkable thing.
Some facts:
- 44 species of ducks, geese, and swans have been featured
- Mallard, Canvasback, and Northern Pintail have been featured the most, 5 times each
- The Canvasback was featured as a decoy on the 1975-1976 stamp
- All regularly occurring waterfowl species have been featured except Cackling Goose, a newly split bird from Canada Goose
- The 1959-1960 stamp featured a Black Labrador Retriever (holding a shot Mallard)
- You can view all previous stamps at The Federal Duck Stamp Program
The five Northern Pintail stamps, including the current one
Junior Duck Stamps
July 7, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
Every time you buy a Duck Stamp, 98 cents of every dollar goes directly to the purchase and conservation of wildlife habitat. Artists compete to design the Duck Stamp and each year a winner is chosen to be the face of that year’s stamp.
There is also a Junior Duck Stamp that helps conservation in a different way – through education. The proceeds from this 5 dollar stamp fund environmental education programs, award students for their work, and market the Junior Duck Stamp Program.
The Junior Duck Stamp contest allows interested students, from kindergarten through twelfth grade, to study waterfowl and then draw, paint, or sketch a photo to submit. Both national and state winners are chosen and all participants are recognized. The program started in 1986, and included all 50 states by the year 2000.
National Prizes:
- National First Place: $5,000
- National Second Place: $3,000
- National Third Place: $2,000
- Conservation Message First Place: $500
State recognition varies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a map which links to each state’s 2006 Best in Show winner. We picked our state to show as an example below:
2006 Illinois Best of Show
Clinton Shipley, 18
St. Joseph-Ogden High School
“Populations of many species of ducks are on the rise due to increased wetlands protection.”
–Clinton Shipley
Getting kids involved helps the conservation movement immensely. It teaches them about conservation and gives them the motivation to want to be involved in helping wildlife. Buying Duck Stamps and Junior Duck Stamps is a great way to help conserve precious bird habitat.
More Information
- Junior Duck Stamp Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Junior Duck Stamp Program Power Point (PDF)
- 15yr Anniversary Junior Duck Stamp Program Booklet (PDF)
Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp on Sale Now!
June 27, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
Today marks the 75th Anniversary of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (commonly known as the “duck stamp”). Stamps are on sale today and can be purchased from a number of places:
Online: The Postal Store
In Person: Local Post Office and some sporting goods stores
By Mail: Various organizations sell stamps including those with special holders that can be displayed on your binoculars, camera, backpack, or elsewhere.
$0.98 of each dollar from stamp sales go directly to conservation efforts and also give you free access into National Wildlife Refuges across the country.
Duck Stamp Success
June 18, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
Every time a Duck Stamp is bought, precious bird habitat is conserved. For every Duck Stamp purchased, 98 cents of every dollar goes directly to purchase land.
We found more proof showing how wonderful Duck Stamps are for conservation. The Mirgratory Bird Conservation Commission approved 18,118 acres of wetland and grassland habitat for Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge along with quite a few other grants.
From the U.S. Department of Interior Press Release: As part of a suite of wetlands acquisition and conservation grant approvals, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission today approved $4 million to purchase more than 18,000 acres of prime prairie wetland and associated grassland habitat for the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Minnesota – one of the largest purchases ever using dollars generated from Federal Duck Stamp sales and import duties on firearms and ammunition.
This huge land purchase shows how hunters and conservationists can come together and proof that Duck Stamps work.
This acquisition also secures habitat for three other National Wildlife Refuges.
- Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge – Oregon – 180 acres
- Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge – North Carolina – 1,481 acres
- Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge – Maine – 1,129 acres
Also approved:
- $24 million in federal funding to protect, restore, enchance and manage over 107,000 acres of habitat in North America under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA)
- $1.67 million for 27 projects affecting 28,657 acres in 24 states under the NAWCA Small Grants program
- $19.7 million for four Canadian projects affecting 80,000 acres
- $640,000 for two projects protecting 2,470 acres in Mexico
Duck Stamp Price Increase – Birdfreak Approved
March 27, 2008
Article in: Bird Conservation
Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, which we prefer to call Bird Conservation Stamps (Duck Stamps) are one of the best ways of creating and restoring habitat. 98 cents of every dollar goes straight to conservation funding making it the most cost-effective form of bird conservation.
- In 2007, approximately 1.6 million duck stamps were sold! At $15.00 each that means over $23 million that goes straight into protecting habitat for birds.
- Since 1991, there has not been any price increase on the Duck Stamp. This year there is a proposal to raise the price to $25.00, a notable increase but one that is important to increasing conservation.
- Some people might be discouraged to purchase the stamps but even if total sales decrease by say 10% (1.44 million stamps) the new price will raise over $35 million, a substantial increase in funds. But hopefully all birders will be inspired to purchase stamps.
- If there are 40 million birders in the U.S. and just half of these birders buy one stamp a year, that’s $490 million (98%) that would be used to purchase and protect land that birders enjoy.
Bird Conservation Stamps do more than protect waterfowl. Many species of birds benefit from the increase in habitat protection.
Do your part and buy a stamp if you haven’t yet. Or you can join The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and buy a stamp with your membership!
