Do birdwatchers buy the duck stamp?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bird watchers (birders) are stakeholders in wildlife conservation; yet, few federal programs provide formal mechanisms for birders to contribute economically to conservation. One exception is the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (duck stamp), a unique conservation tool historically aimed at waterfowl hunters that generates revenue to acquire and protect wetland habitat. This article examined duck stamp purchasing behavior among birders participating in the National Audubon Society’s annual citizen science project, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) (n = 3,072). Twenty percent of CBC participants had purchased a duck stamp between 2013 and 2015, and about 40% of those purchasers were also hunters. Birding specialization was a key predictor of duck stamp purchasing behavior, with highly specialized nonhunting birders purchasing stamps at rates approximately equal to hunters. Future research should continue to explore reasons birders buy (or do not buy) duck stamps and the broader implications on wildlife conservation.