Who, Me? Buy a Duck Stamp?

Yes, Birder, you should buy a duck stamp each year. It only costs $15  and $0.98 of each dollar goes directly to purchasing, renting, or improving habitat for all kinds of migratory birds.

The new duck stamp came out June 27. This year the American Birding Society is offering them though their site, so they can document that birders are doing their part to preserve and increase habitat for ducks, geese, swans, warblers, bitterns, rails, waders, raptors, and other birds.  So please do your part and click here to purchase through the American Birding Association. ABA also carries a holder so you can add it to your key ring - this is a great way to show your friends that you are supporting the continued existence of birds.

You can also purchase them at National Wildlife Refuges, sporting goods stores, Walmart, and your local post office and save the shipping costs.

And there is another win for you.  Just present the stamp at any refuge that charges a fee and get in free. And remember all of them are birding hotspots. Buy it immediately and you'll get to use it for a full year.

Here are a few birds enjoying past contributions on lands that were bought or improved with Duck Stamp monies.  They include: Anahuac NWR, Sacramento Complex of NWR's and Malheur NWR.  I asked  Bill West, Refuge Manager,  if Red Rock Lakes had any recent new lands purchased with Duck Stamp monies.  He replied that part of the money used to purchase 1490 acres in the Alaska Basin last year came from the purchase of Duck Stamps.

White pelican on breeding grounds with coots at Malheur NWR

Roseate spoonbill

Black-necked stilt at Anahuac NWR 

Purple gallinule on breeding grounds at Anahuac NWR

Cinnamon teal pair and mallard wintering at Sacramento NWR

Snow and Ross's geese wintering at Sacramento NWR

Pie-billed grebe

Merlin  wintering at Sacramento NWR

Coot and cinnamon teal wintering at  Colusa NWR

American bittern

Northern pintail at Colusa NWR

Sandhill cranes on breeding grounds at Malheur NWR

Eared grebes on breeding grounds at Malheur

Yellow-headed blackbird on breeding grounds at Malheur NWR

Snowy egret

These stamps are also great collectibles.  You might like to buy more and keep them until they appreciate.

I'd love to hear back from you if you bought a duck stamp. Leave me a message in Comments. Thanks so much for helping to provide habitat for birds. And please pass the word.  And tell me your favorite birding refuge.

Postscript: The All About Birds Blog just wrote their own blog on reasons to buy a duck stamp.  More great information.