The Associazione Cacciatori Migratori Acquatici (ACMA, or Italian Waterbird Hunters Association), part of Federcaccia (the Italian Hunting Federation), have translated and published in Italian the original French guide by Jean-Baptiste Mouronval on age and sex identification of European ducks.
This 
is an excellent cooperation with Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage (ONCFS). Interest is growing in making the guide widely available across Eurasia and this greatly strengthens the possibility of developing an internationally coordinated programme studying the population structure and reproductive success of huntable duck species.
This important publication has been prepared ahead of the re-start of a national wing collection scheme for harvested ducks in Italy, in cooperation with the Migratory Bird Office of Federcaccia. The aim is to create a consistent survey method in order to track the reproductive success of different species, particularly those with declining population trends. The intention is to start with a focus on Common Pochard, a species hunted in low numbers in Italy and by specialised hunters.
We intend to update the Duck Specialist Group and FACE about our progress and use our experience to improve the management of European duck populations. We believe further cooperation between FACE and the DSG is very important in order to strengthen such population management and make hunters aware of this important work.
ACME would like to thank the author, all the photographers who allowed their images to be republished without copyright fees, Matthieu Guillemain, and of course Mariano Tosi who prepared the excellent translation, also for free!
With thanks for Michele Sorrenti (Federcaccia Scientific Responsible Migratory Bird Office) and Gabriele Fasoli (ACMA President) for this news article.
