Dear Sarah, ABA will count your purchase as purchased by a Birder!
The problem is the staff working the duck stamp is so small they don’t have the resources so we are trying to help them fulfill this great need. We do not make anything off the duck stamp we do however help offset our cost of the program with a shipping and handling fee.

Ditto to everything Drew said, esp about how well regulated waterfowl hunting is. It’s a shame that some people will let their distaste for hunting stand in the way of land preservation. At this critical juncture, I think it is important for people to look at the big picture – you may not like the idea of hunting, but at this point preserving land is a far better outcome than letting it be developed. Remember that poorly planned and widespread development is actually the enemy here, not people who enjoy nature in a different way than you.

A little research, or familiarity with refuges, waterfowl hunting regulations, and waterfowl hunting would show that virtually nothing that Mr. Stalnaker emotes upon has any basis in fact. Waterfowl hunting is probably the most highly regulated kind of outdoor recreation. There is a separate Chapter in New York hunting regulations to address hunting at Montezuma NWR – where I started serious birding. Refuges are hardly closed for half the year due to waterfowl hunting. Most waterfowl seasons in New York are less than two months in length. Seasons and limits are established on a flyway basis by state and federal wildlife managers each year, based on population and habitat trends. Furthermore, in my experience waterfowl hunters are a breed apart amongst hunters. Waterfowl hunting is a very expensive sport and generally attracts a knowledgable group of people. Ducks Unlimited was started in Sullivan County, NY in the 30s by hunters concerned with declines in duck populations and habitat.
Thanks to the Lab for putting this article on line. Every birder, especially those who bird the NWRs (as I do, these days most often Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina) should purchase a duck stamp and thereby join another large group of dedicated conservationists.

First, thanks to the Cornell Lab for bringing this important issue to the attention of folks who may not be familiar with the stamp.

Next, Harry and Dave are right. Before this Congress went on August recess, the House came close to eliminating (yes, with ZERO funding) these vital bird conservation and land acquisition programs:

State Wildlife Grants
Neotropical Bird Conservation Act
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs)
North American Wetlands Conservation Act
Land and Water Conservation Fund

The last two programs are simply essential for habitat acquisition.

The members of Congress will come back after Labor Day, and they will, unfortunately, pick up where they left off.

Stamp/MBCF funds are, thankfully, out of their current reach. The stamp remains one of the easiest and most reliable vehicles to secure wetland and grassland habitat for birds. If things continue in this direction, the stamp will become more than “easy and reliable.” It will also become crucial.