DENVER - The Colorado Waterfowl Stamp Art Committee selected Richard Clifton's wood duck pair resting on calm waters in front of a partially submerged cottonwood branch for the 2015 Waterfowl Stamp.

The committee carefully analyzed all 34 entries on display at Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Hunter Education Building Oct. 28 before their final selection.

"All of the entries were of a high quality and made selecting a winner especially difficult this year," said Brian Sullivan, CPW Wetlands Program Coordinator and committee member.

In addition to the appeal of the art, committee members looked closely at whether or not the subject was in a setting reflective of its habitat and migratory patterns.

The wood duck is a colorful perching duck found during the breeding and migration seasons throughout Colorado in suitable riparian and wetland habitats. While sporting bright colors, especially the males, the wood duck blends easily into its background and it takes a seasoned hunter or bird watcher to spot this bird.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife, The Colorado Heritage Foundation and the Waterfowl Stamp Art Committee all contributed to the success of the event. The Colorado Waterfowl Stamp program was implemented in 1990 and provides funding to conserve wetlands for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife.

Waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and older are required by state law to purchase a waterfowl stamp annually before hunting. In addition to hunters, many collectors aid in wetland conservation by purchasing collector stamps and prints that are created from the winning entry.

"We are all beneficiaries of the Waterfowl Stamp," said Tillman Bishop, committee member and former Colorado senator. "Whether you are a hunter, a bird watcher or just a citizen that likes seeing wildlife, every one of us gets the benefit of this terrific program."

Artists Dale Pousson and Tim Turrene were runners up in the contest.

View the paintings, read the biography of winning artist Richard Clifton, and check out past stamp winners at http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/WaterfowlStampWinners.aspx. Learn about the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation at http://www.cowildlifefoundation.org/.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages 42 state parks, more than 300 state wildlife areas, all of Colorado's wildlife, and a variety of outdoor recreation. For more information go to cpw.state.co.us.

For more news about Colorado Parks and Wildlife go to: http://cpw.state.co.us

For more information about Colorado Parks and Wildlife go to: http://cpw.state.co.us.

Contact Name: Manda Walters

Contact Phone: 303-866-3203 X4608