Hunters, bird watchers, stamp collectors, and artists celebrated as the 2026-2027 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp – commonly known as the Duck Stamp – went on sale. The new Federal Duck Stamp and its younger sibling, the Junior Duck Stamp, debuted today at a special event hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Bass Pro Shops in St. Augustine, Florida.
“I am pleased to be among the first to purchase the 2026-2027 Federal and Junior Duck Stamps,” said Service Director Brian Nesvik. “For generations, waterfowl hunters have been instrumental in protecting vast stretches of wetlands, including on national wildlife refuges. These areas offer outdoor recreational opportunities, support migratory waterfowl, including thousands of ducks and geese, provide habitat for numerous other wildlife species, help manage flooding and strengthen the economies of rural communities.”
The Federal Duck Stamp plays a critically important role in wildlife conservation. Since 1934, sales of this stamp have raised more than $1.3 billion to conserve over 6 million acres of wetlands habitat on national wildlife refuges around the nation.
Painted by James Hautman of Chaska, Minnesota, the new Federal Duck Stamp will raise millions of dollars for habitat conservation which benefits wildlife and the American people. The three buffleheads featured on the new stamp is Hautman’s seventh Federal Duck Stamp designed for the U.S. Department of the Interior. His artwork was chosen in September 2025 from 290 entries in the country’s only federally regulated art contest.
The 2026-2027 Junior Duck Stamp, which also went on sale today, raises funds to support youth conservation education. This year’s stamp features a pair of blue-winged teal painted by 17-year-old Nina Liang from Texas.
“Hunters have always been key partners in conservation, and the Federal Duck Stamp is just one of the many ways they support the protection of our nation’s waterfowl and wetlands,” said Service Assistant Director for the Migratory Bird Program, Jerome Ford. “Every stamp you buy directly invests in conserving millions of acres of scenic American landscapes that are essential for waterfowl and countless other species. These contributions help ensure that future generations can experience thriving bird populations.”
A current Federal Duck Stamp is good for free admission to any national wildlife refuge that charges an entry fee. Of the 573 refuges, most offer unparalleled outdoor recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.
Waterfowl aren’t the only species that benefit from wetland habitat conservation. Countless shorebirds, herons, raptors and songbirds, along with mammals, fish, native plants, reptiles and amphibians rely on the same habitats. Many migratory species, including Birds of Conservation Concern, such as the yellow rail, black tern and prothonotary warbler, depend on wetlands and nearby uplands for feeding, breeding, migrating, wintering and resting.
This year’s Federal Duck Stamp companion species artwork features the northern flicker. This is a nod to the unique relationship between buffleheads and the tree cavities they nest in, cavities that northern flickers often create.
The new duck stamps will be sold at sporting goods and retail stores, some post offices and national wildlife refuges, and are available for purchase online. The Service is also offering the 2026-2027 Federal Electronic Duck Stamp (E-Stamp) for purchase through many state agency websites as well as through duckstamp.com.
Funds raised from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps go toward the acquisition and lease of habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Duck Stamps – while required for waterfowl hunters as part of their annual license – are also voluntarily purchased by birders, outdoor enthusiasts and fans of national wildlife refuges who understand the value of conserving some of the most diverse and important wildlife habitats in our nation. Stamp and wildlife art collectors also value these miniature pieces of art and American history and contribute to conservation through their purchases of duck stamps.
The Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest is the culmination of a year-long educational program that encourages students to learn about wetlands and waterfowl conservation, explore their natural world and create a painting or drawing of a duck, goose or swan as their “visual term paper” to demonstrate what they learned. Approximately 15,000 students in K-12th grades annually participate in the art contest.
The winning artwork at the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest is made into a stamp the Service sells for $5 to conservationists, educators, students, collectors and the public. Proceeds support conservation education at the state and local level. Since the first Junior Duck Stamps went on sale in 1993, well over $1.4 million has been raised, which is re-invested in this unique conservation arts and science education program across the country.
The 2026 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest to select the 2027-2028 Federal Duck Stamp will be held September 24-25, 2026, at Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee.
Learn more about the Federal and Junior Duck Stamps.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr.
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