What are Duck Stamps?
 
Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as "Duck Stamps" are pictorial stamps produced by the U.S. Postal Service for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  They are not valid for postage.  Originally created in 1934 as the federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today.  The first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. "Ding" Darling.

Federal Duck Stamps are a vital tool for wetland conservation.  Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System.  A current year's Federal Duck Stamp also serves as an entrance pass for National Wildlife Refuges where admission is normally charged.

In 1989, the first Junior Duck Stamps were produced.  Junior Duck Stamps are now the capstone of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Junior Duck Stamp environmental education program, teaching students across the nation "conservation through the arts."  Revenue generated by the sales of Junior Duck Stamps funds environmental education programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 territories (American Samoa and the Virgin Islands).

Duck Stamps have been benefiting wildlife since 1934.  The sales of Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $670 million, which has been used to help purchase or lease over 5.2 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the U.S.  These lands are now protected in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System.

Waterfowl are not the only wildlife to benefit from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps.  Numerous other bird, mammal, fish, reptile, and amphibian species that rely on wetland habitats have prospered.  Further, an estimated one-third of the nation's endangered and threatened species find food or shelter in refuges established using Federal Duck Stamp funds.

People, too, have benefited from the Federal Duck Stamp Program.  All outdoor enthusiasts have places to hike, watch birds, hunt and visit.  Moreover, the protected wetlands help purify water supplies, store flood water, reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, and provide spawning areas for fish important to sport and commercial fishermen.

Birders and conservationists buy Federal Duck Stamps because they know that the stamps are, dollar for dollar, one of the best investments one can make in the future of America's wetlands.  Educators, conservationists, hunters, birders, parents, and students alike buy $5 Junior Duck Stamps in order to support conservation education programs in the U.S.

Where can I buy Duck Stamps?
 
Both Federal Duck Stamps ($15) and Junior Duck Stamps ($5) are sold in many post offices.  You can also buy both stamps on the Internet, and many sporting goods and outdoor stores sell the Federal Duck Stamps.