Following to the previous issues of Birds of Latvia series, Latvia Post issued two stamps with pictures of traditional Latvian birds: the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and the Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis).
The denomination of Barn Swallow is LVL 0.35 and the denomination of Goldfinch is LVL 0.98. The stamps have been designed by artist Ģirts Grīva.
The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow. It is a bird of open country and builds nests in closed, man-made structures protected from precipitation and wind.
The Barn Swallow is renowned for its skill of catching insects in flight. To many nations, the Barn Swallow is a symbol of hope, luck, and the coming of spring; Latvian beliefs about swallows relate to the weather, money and happiness.
The release of the stamps is accompanied by two first-day covers and two special cancellations. The covers are adorned by pictures of the barn swallow and the goldfinch in their natural environment, while the cancellation depicts each bird in graphical form.
The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
