Not of my favorite covers as it has many not related to my topic stamps, it was hand canceled. The bird on this 1973 stamp is European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). It is a small bird of the finch family. It lives in Europe, western and central Asia and north Africa. The birds living in the colder places migrate in the winter. It eats small seeds and teasels. This species is also a popular pet because of its melodic singing and beautiful plumage.