Birds of Prey - Cyprus

On September 25th, 2003, Cyprus Post released the stamps features the Birds of Prey in Cyprus. The species depicted are Imperial Eagle, Eleonora’s Falcon, and Owl.  The issued stamps have specific shape, triangular and have differ nominal values.

Eleonora’s falcon

Eleonora's Falcon or (Falco eleonorae) is an elegant bird of prey, 36–42 cm long with an 87-104 cm wingspan. Its long pointed wings, long tail and slim body. Eleonora's Falcon is a medium-sized falcon. It belongs to the hobby group.

This species breeds on islands in the Mediterranean particularly off Greece (where two-thirds of the world's population breeds). This species has a delayed breeding season, in late summer, because it is a specialist hunter of migrating birds which pass through the Mediterranean islands at this time of year. It captures small birds in flight, using its speed and aerobatic skills.

Imperial eagle

Imperial eagle or Aquila heliaca is monotypic species, no subspecies distinguished. Their  distinctive  are length ranged 72-84 cm, wingspan  ranged 180-215 cm, weight  ranged 2450-4530 g. Colour of adults are dark brown - almost black - in their body, with the back of head and neck golden. Normally it has two white shoulder patches of variable size, which may lack completely in some individuals. The imperial eagle is a priority species in a number of international conventions.

The distribution range of the species stretches from Central and South-Eastern Europe to Central Asia.The imperial eagle breeds both in mountains and agricultural lowland areas.

The favourite prey of the imperial eagle are daytime-active small to medium size mammals such as the suslik ( Spermophilus citellus ) and the hamster ( Cricetus cricetus ).

 

Owl

Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 extant bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e.g. the Northern Hawk Owl). Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, most of Greenland and some remote islands.

Different species of owls make different sounds; this wide range of calls aids owls in finding mates or announcing their presence to potential competitors, and also aids ornithologists and birders in locating these birds and recognizing species.(Resources : Wikipedia)

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CYPRUS FOWLS

Fowls are egg-laying feathered vertebrates with a beak. Since the most ancient times, man has been aware of the importance of fowls for his life and succeeded in taming many of them and progressively domesticating them, so as to obtain by breeding (agriculture) more abundant and tasty meat and a large quantity of eggs. As shown by archaeological research, numerous kings of fowls, such as the hen, the pigeon, the duck, the goose, etc., were also domesticated as early as the prehistoric period.

Some of these fowls, the pigeon, the turkey, the cock and the duck are represented in the series "Domestic Fowls" of the Cyprus Postal Services on stamps of €0,22, €0,34, €0,43 and €0,51 respectively.

Source: Stamps and Philatelic Services, Cyprus Post

MAMMALS OF CYPRUS

Cyprus Post issued the stamp series featured Mammals, the Rhinodolphin, the Cyprus Fox, and the Hare on September 09, 2004. The stamp issuance represented in three setenant stamp set.

The Rhinodolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is the most common dolphin in the Mediterranean Sea. It is usually found in schools of 10-20 dolphins, mainly near costal areas but also in the open sea where the schools are even larger, comprising of hundreds of dolphins. It is of medium size and over 3 meters in length. It mainly feeds on cephalopods (squid, octopus) and fish. Twelve months after mating it produces an offspring of approximately half a meter.

The Cyprus Fox (Vulpes vulpes indutus) is the second largest mammal of the Cyprus fauna after mouflon. It is a quick agile animal but also quite clever and intelligent. This combined with its strong senses characterizes it as makes it an animal with an effective hunting ability. It can be found throughout the island, in costal and mountainous areas but also in built-up areas depending on the availability of food. Its reproductive period begins around January or February. The gestation period lasts 50-55 days. It lives in rock caves, in holes in the ground that makes itself and in thick shrubs. The main sources of food for the fox are small rodents, insects, birds, fruit, plant bulbs, eggs, worms as well as corpses of large mammals.

The hare (Lepus europeus cyprium) is found in nearly all parts of Cyprus and at all altitudes. It is very quick and clever animal. It is usually active during the night, while during the day it hides in shrubs and other vegetation. It usually breeds 2-4 young, 3-4 times a year, depending on climatic and other conditions. It is an exclusive vegetarian mammal and the main type of game on our island.

Source: Department of Postal Services, Republic of Cyprus.

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