Latvian National Bird

To dedicate the Latvian  Bird, Latvia Post  pleased to issue one stamp feature the White Wagtail or Motacilla alba as their National  Bird on August   30, .2003.

Motacilla alba

 

The White Wagtail is the national bird of Latvia. This is a slender bird, 16.5–19 cm in length  with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. The  basic  appearance  is   grey above and white below, with a white face, black cap and black throat.

The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae which breeds in much of Europe and Asia and parts of north Africa. The major diet of White Wagtails are terrestrial and aquatic insects and other small invertebrates.

Motacilla alba is an insectivorous bird of open country, often near habitation and water. It prefers bare areas for feeding, where it can see and pursue its prey. In urban areas it has adapted to foraging on paved areas such as car parks. It nests in crevices in stone walls and similar natural and man-made structures.

Birds of Latvia - 2012

 

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.

Birds of Latvia - 2011

Latvia Post has issued a set of two stamps series feature Latvian Birds, following the previous  series “Birds of Latvia  2010” on September 23, 2011. The issued stamps depict Icterine Warbler and Snake Eagle, design by  artist Ģirts Grīva .

Hippolais icterina

The Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) is a small songbird, found in the territory of Latvia from early spring to fall. The bird is most frequently found in bushes of woodland, as well as in parks and gardens; it loves being near water. The Icterine Warbler is insectivorous, but also takes other food items, such as berries. The Icterine Warbler's song sounds like a fast murmur.

The Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler genus Hippolais. The term icterine refers to its yellowish colouration. It breeds in mainland Europe except the southwest.It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa.

The stamps are accompanied by a release of two first-day envelopes and special cancellations. The envelopes show the Icterine Warbler and the Snake Eagle in their typical environment, while the cancellation depicts each bird graphically.