June 25: first day of sale for new Duck Stamp

Mark this Friday on your calendar as your first opportunity to purchase the 2010-2011 Duck Stamp. The $15 stamp gives free access to national wildlife refuges from July 1 to June 30, and 98 cents of every dollar goes into a fund to purchase or lease wetlands and grasslands.

The new stamp depicts an American Wigeon, painted by Robert Bealle of Waldorf, Md. His artwork earned first place last fall at the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest, held at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Md.

Since 1934, each waterfowl hunter must purchase a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp to legally hunt migratory waterfowl. Through stamp sales, more than $750 million has gone toward conserving more than 5.3 million acres that benefits waterfowl, other bird species and various wildlife. The stamp proceeds benefit birders as much as they do hunters.


Although many birders express anti-hunting sentiments, WildBird supports the practice of legal hunting that falls within the guidelines set by scientific wildlife management. Because hunters have contributed directly and enormously to habitat conservation for almost 80 years, we respect their contributions that aid the birds we enjoy so much. We sincerely hope that birders will purchase the stamp this year -- and in future years -- to directly contribute to more habitat conservation.