Robert Hautman of Delano, Minnesota, has won the 2026 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest for the fourth time with an acrylic painting of a pair of long-tailed ducks.

His painting will become the 2027-2028 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, known as the Duck Stamp. The annual stamp raises roughly $40 million a year to support wetland habitat conservation in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Since the programme began in 1934, Duck Stamp sales have raised more than $1.3 billion and helped conserve more than six million acres of wetland habitat for waterfowl and other species. The programme’s director called it one of the most successful conservation programmes in American history.

The contest drew 331 entries, with 15 finalists competing over two days. Madison Grimm of Wallace, South Dakota, placed second with an acrylic painting of a king eider, while Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota, took third place, also with a king eider.

This year’s eligible species were the long-tailed duck, king eider, cackling goose, blue-winged teal and mottled duck.