A toast to Canada
They float like ducks. They look like ducks. They attract other ducks. But guess what? They’re not real waterfowl—they’re duck decoys.
References to using decoys to attract waterfowl for hunting are found in the histories of ancient Egypt, Greece and parts of Europe. In North America, duck decoys have a long history as well. One of the oldest surviving decoys in North America dates back almost a thousand years.
During the past century, duck decoys have become much more than working birds for hunters. They also have become prized collectibles. As with most items people collect, the value of a decoy is based on a number of factors, including rarity, maker, condition, species, age and the uniqueness of the pose.
On August 3, 2006, Canada Post issued a set of four stamps to honour the history of duck decoys in Canada. The decoys chosen for these stamps represent four different regional species and carving styles. The red-breasted merganser represents the Maritimes; the barrow’s golden eye, Quebec; the black duck, Ontario; and the mallard, the Prairie region. These are stored in the archives of the Canadian Museum of Nature in the National Capital Region. |
OFDC
