Joe Duff

Joe Duff (born 1956) is a Canadian ultralight aircraft pilot and ornithologist known for his pioneering work in using ultralight aircraft to teach captive-bred Canada geese migration routes. He is the co-founder, along with Bill Lishman, of Operation Migration, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving migratory bird populations.

Duff's innovative approach involved raising Canada geese from goslings, imprinting them on him and his aircraft, and then leading them on their first southward migration. This method allows the geese to learn traditional migration routes that they would otherwise miss out on due to habitat loss or other factors.

Operation Migration has also worked with endangered Whooping Cranes, using the same ultralight aircraft technique to re-establish a wild migratory population of these birds in eastern North America. Duff's work has been featured in numerous documentaries and news articles, highlighting the potential of human intervention in wildlife conservation efforts.

He is a strong advocate for the use of non-lethal methods in wildlife management and has been involved in public education campaigns to raise awareness about the challenges facing migratory birds. While he no longer leads Operation Migration, his contributions to conservation remain significant.