Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp
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2023 Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition Welcomes Entries through March 15, 2023
Inspiring Youth Conservation Awareness through the Arts
Calling all creative young artists and art educators in Connecticut. Entries are now being accepted for the 2023 Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition, part of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) environmental education program administered since 1987 by the Connecticut Waterfowl Association (CWA).
As part of a concerted effort to encourage more young people to explore the natural world and increase conservation awareness, the Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp “Best in Show” winner will be featured as the 2024 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp! The "Best in Show" winner will also be an entry for the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest.
This contest is open to all students, kindergarten through grade 12, who are Connecticut residents. To enter, students create and submit a drawing or painting featuring native waterfowl (ducks or geese) -- List of Eligible Species. There is no cost, and submissions are due by March 15, 2023.
Submitted artwork will be judged in four groups according to grade level, encouraging artists of all ages and ability levels to be inspired and join in the contest’s creative fun and learning. First, second- and third-place entries will be selected from each group, and prizes will be awarded. A “Best of Show” is selected by the judges from the 12 first-place winners. The “Best of Show”, in addition to being featured on the Connecticut Duck Stamp, is then entered into the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest, which is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The first place design from the nationwide contest is used to create a national Junior Duck Stamp for the following year. Junior Duck Stamps are sold by the U.S. Postal Service for $5 each. Proceeds support conservation education and provide awards and scholarships for the students, teachers, and schools that participate in the program.
Connecticut Duck Stamps can be purchased for $17 wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold or from the Online Outdoor Licensing System under the "Other" category. All proceeds from the sale of stamps fund wetland habitat conservation and enhancement projects.
All work must be postmarked by March 15, 2023, and have a completed entry form. For students in grades 7-12, a reference sheet must also be included to verify the authenticity of the student's work. Forms are listed below.
- Junior Duck Stamp Brochure
- Details about the Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition
- 2022-2023 Junior Duck Stamp Entry Form (English/Spanish) (must be included with art submission)
- 2022-2023 Junior Duck Stamp Reference Form (English/Spanish) (students in grades 7-12 must submit this form so that the students' ideas/reference can be verified that their work is not a complete reproduction of another piece)
Individual, as well as whole class submissions, can be sent to (they must be postmarked by March 15, 2023):
Christopher Samorajczyk
29 Bowers Hill Road
Oxford, CT 06478
Questions can be directed to Chris at 203-888-0352 or csamor16@att.net or Tom Lewoc Jr. at lewoc09@gmail.com.
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program is a unique, multidisciplinary curriculum aligned with national science and visual arts education standards. Through art, it teaches students about wetland and waterfowl conservation, migration and land stewardship. It encourages youth to explore their natural world with a new perspective by inviting them to investigate biology and wildlife management and challenging them to express and share what they have learned with others. More information about the USFWS Junior Duck Stamp Conservation Program, including helpful youth and educator guides, is available on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.
The Connecticut Waterfowlers Association, a non-profit volunteer group created in 1967 dedicated to wetlands and waterfowl conservation, has administered this Program since its beginning in 1987. Its mission is to conserve wetlands and waterfowl in Connecticut, and only in Connecticut.
Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp Winner for the 2022 Art Competition
Congratulations are extended to Sophie Archer, age 18, of Old Lyme, CT, whose painting of an Atlantic brant on a beach coastline was selected as the "Best in Show" for the 2022 Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition. The painting also won first place in the 10th-12th grade age category. Sophie’s artwork will be featured on the 2023 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation (Duck) Stamp. This is the second year in a row that Sophie received such honors for her artwork. Her painting of a drake wood duck in flight was awarded “Best in Show” for the 2021 contest and is featured on the current 2022 Connecticut Duck Stamp.
Sophie has participated in the Junior Federal Duck Stamp competition from the age of six as a kindergartener. Her love of the arts runs in the family, her mother having graduated from Parson's School of Design, and her grandmother and sister both studying art and working as artists and designers in New York City. Aside from painting, Sophie studies ballet and enjoys baking, pottery, history, and classical literature. Having grown increasingly focused over the years on moving closer to and preserving nature, she feels particularly strongly about the conservation aspect of the Duck Stamp competition and the Connecticut Waterfowl Association's mission to preserve and protect the habitat of Connecticut's wildlife.
The annual Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition is coordinated and sponsored by the Connecticut Waterfowl Association, in cooperation with the CT DEEP Wildlife Division. A total of 120 entries were submitted from public school, private school, as well as home-schooled students in grades K-12, from all across the Connecticut! The participants in every age group put forth a great amount of time and effort to produce some amazing artwork (and conservation messages). Entries were divided into four age groups spanning from kindergarten through high school. Winners in each age group were then judged against each other to determine the overall state winner.
As part of a concerted effort to encourage more young people to explore the natural world and increase conservation awareness, the Connecticut Junior Duck Stamp “Best in Show” winning artwork is featured as the annual Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp. The "Best in Show" winner is also an entry for the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Featuring the Junior Duck Stamp winning artwork on the CT Duck Stamp ensures that a Connecticut artist represents our state stamp. Further, the school curriculum associated with the competition is geared towards waterfowl and wetland conservation. This helps foster an appreciation for the species being painted by the students and, hopefully, provides students with a better connection to the natural world. The contest is open to all students, kindergarten through grade 12, who are Connecticut residents. To enter, students create and submit a drawing or painting featuring native waterfowl (ducks or geese). There is no cost to participate.
Other Winning Artwork from the 2022 CT Junior Duck Stamp Contest
Julianna Cazassa, age 17, of East Haddam, took second place in the 10-12 grade age group with a painting of wood ducks.
Julia Phillips, age 15, of Avon, took third place in the 10-12 grade age group with a painting of a green-winged teal.
Chloe Hunske, age 14, from Cos Cob, took first place in the 7th-9th grade age group with a painting of a king eider.
Peggy Weng, age 14, from Cheshire, took second place in the 7th-9th grade age group with a painting of Barrow's goldeneye.
Madeline Elgart, age 13, from Old Saybrook, took third place in the 7th-9th grade age group with a painting of canvasbacks.
Top three paintings for the 4th-6th grade age group -- 1st place: Adele Morgan - age 10, Simsbury (long-tailed ducks); 2nd place: Meredith Berkun - age 11, Wallingford (trumpeter swans); 3rd place: Sofia Matute - age 11, East Lyme (merganser)
Top three paintings for the K-3rd grade age group -- 1st place: Evelyn Tuccio - age 5, Danbury (ruddy duck); 2nd place: Lily Canale - age 8, Weston (cackling goose); 3rd place: Alexis Bialowas - Age 8, Lisbon (green-winged teal)
As both a required purchase for waterfowl hunters, and as artwork sought by collectors, conservationists and other nature enthusiasts, Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps have great visibility and generate substantial revenue for conservation and environmental education in the state.
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program is a unique, multidisciplinary curriculum aligned with national science and visual arts education standards. Through art, it teaches students about wetland and waterfowl conservation, migration and land stewardship. It encourages youth to explore their natural world with a new perspective by inviting them to investigate biology and wildlife management, and challenging them to express and share what they have learned with others. More information about the USFWS Junior Duck Stamp Conservation Program, including helpful youth and educator guides, is available on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.
The Connecticut Waterfowl Association, a non-profit volunteer group created in 1967 dedicated to wetlands and waterfowl conservation, has administered this Program since its beginning in 1987. Its mission is to conserve wetlands and waterfowl in Connecticut, and only in Connecticut.
Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps from 1993 through 2023
View the amazing artwork that has graced Connecticut's Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps since the first stamp was unveiled in 1993.
Protect Our Cherished Wildlife Habitat -- Purchase a CT Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp!
Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp dollars deliver results for wildlife and habitat! Migratory bird hunters are required to purchase a Connecticut stamp to participate in migratory bird hunting seasons. Other licensed hunters are encouraged to purchase a Connecticut Duck Stamp (even if they do not participate in the migratory bird hunting seasons) to show their support for the conservation and purchase of wetland habitats. Hunters can purchase stamps for $17 each wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold: participating town clerks, participating retail agents, DEEP License and Revenue (79 Elm Street in Hartford), and through the Online Outdoor Licensing System.
Non-hunters and others who wish to support wetland habitat protection can also purchase Connecticut stamps for $17 from the Online Outdoor Licensing System under the "Other" category. Those who are not already licensed hunters or anglers will need to get a Conservation ID number to use the site. Stamps can also be purchased at DEEP License and Revenue by sending a check for $17 to DEEP License and Revenue, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106 (ordered stamps will be sent through the mail).
The Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp Program is a great example of how conservation works -- concerned citizens paying into a program that was formed to protect and enhance vital habitat. Over 3,145 acres of critical wetlands have been protected in our state using Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp funds. These wetlands benefit not only waterfowl, but also a multitude of other wildlife species like herons, egrets, fish, and amphibians.
History of CT’s Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp Program
The Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp Program was initiated in the early 1990s when concerned sportsmen worked with the DEEP to develop legislation that would generate revenue for wetland conservation. Modeled after the federal Duck Stamp Program, the Connecticut program requires the purchase of a state Duck Stamp, along with a hunting license, to legally hunt waterfowl in the state. By state law, funds generated from the sale of Duck Stamps can only be used for the development, management, preservation, conservation, acquisition, purchase, and maintenance of waterfowl habitat and wetlands, as well as the purchase and acquisition of recreational rights or interests relating to migratory birds.
The early state Duck Stamps featured waterfowl art from artists across North America. However, since 2003, the stamp has featured designs from local artists. In an effort to generate more interest in the Duck Stamp Program, with the goal of increasing stamp sales and revenues to improve wetland conservation, the DEEP is returning to the more appealing full-color format for stamps and holding a contest to select the artwork for the stamp. Art enthusiasts, stamp collectors, and conservationists can purchase as many stamps as they wish. Full-color prints may also be available at the discretion of the winning artist.
The first Connecticut Duck Stamp debuted in 1993 with a fee of $5.00. From 1993-2002, the sale of Duck Stamps and prints generated over $1.2 million in revenue. Print sales gradually declined over time and the print program was discontinued with the 2002 Duck Stamp. In order to maintain revenue for growing habitat conservation needs, the cost of the Connecticut stamp was increased to $10 in 2005 and $13 in 2010. Surveys conducted by the DEEP indicated that the majority of waterfowl hunters were behind increased stamp fees. Hunters and conservationists have consistently expressed strong support for the Duck Stamp Program and associated conservation projects. The sale of stamps alone currently generates approximately $50,000 per year.
Duck Stamp Dollars Deliver Results
Over 3,845 acres of wetlands have been restored or enhanced. Projects have encompassed nearly 50 sites, mostly on state-owned wildlife management areas. In 2011, two more projects, one in Tolland and another in Haddam, were completed using Duck Stamp funds.- In 2021 alone, Duck Stamp funds were used, in part, to restore over 110 acres of inland wetland habitat and another 100 acres of saltmarsh habitat.
- Specialized large equipment was purchased to conduct extensive marsh restoration work, particularly along the coast.
- A 75-acre addition to the Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area in Portland was purchased.
- Duck Stamp funds have generated additional monies for Connecticut through matching grants from federal conservation initiatives. By combining Duck Stamp funds with these additional monies, over $4 million have been available to complete wildlife conservation projects. Thus, Connecticut has received a 4:1 return on Duck Stamp monies.
- The wetland restoration work funded by Duck Stamps has benefited many wildlife species, including several designated as species of greatest conservation need in Connecticut’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
- The Duck Stamp Program is a prime example of a user fee program that has greatly benefited not only wildlife, but also the people of Connecticut by improving the health of our local environments.
Conservation Edition Prints of Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp Artwork Available for Purchase
Conservation Edition Prints of the 2015 and 2017 through 2023 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamps are available in limited quantities. All proceeds from the sale of these prints go into the Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to be used for the enhancement of wetland and associated upland habitats in our state. Those interested in purchasing prints from 2017 through 2023 should contact DEEP Wildlife Division biologist Min Huang at min.huang@ct.gov or 860-418-5959. The 2015 Connecticut Duck Stamp print is available from Crittenden Studio at www.crittendenstudiostore.com.
2023 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp: A limited number of Conservation Edition Prints, signed and uniquely remarqued by the artist, Sophie Archer, are available for $200 each. Three of the prints are remarqued with Sophie's signature and an illustration of a pair of Atlantic brant.
2022 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp: A limited number of Conservation Edition Prints, signed and uniquely remarqued by the artist, Sophie Archer, are available for $200 each. Three of the prints are remarqued with Sophie's signature and an illustration of a pair of wood ducks.
2021 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp: A limited number of Conservation Edition Prints, signed by the artist, Julia Phillips, are available for $225 each. The remarques are in pencil and depict something different -- the whim of the artist!
2020 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp created by Frank Dolphens, Jr. (prints are $200 each and 4 remarqued prints are available for $250)
2019 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp created by second time winner Jeffrey Klinefelter (signed prints are $200 each)
2018 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp created by local Connecticut artist Chet Reneson (signed prints are $200 each)
2017 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp created by Mark Thone (remarqued prints are $250 and other versions are $200 each).
2015 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp created by Guy Crittenden (versions from $125 to $300)
Content last updated in January 2023.