Another cover from Hong Kong with stamps from the 2006 definitive set. Scarlet Minivet is already presented. The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a small heron with two subspecies. E.g.garzetta breeds in Africa, Asia and Europe and E.g.nigripes in Australasia and Indonesia. It feeds on fish, amphibians, crustaceans, reptiles and insects. It is an endangered species.

Thank you Terence for this great cover from Singapore. Two stamps from a 2007 set are used.
Golden-backed Three-toed Woodpecker (Dinopium javanense): This species is also known as Common Flamed-back Woodpecker. It can be found in tropical and subtropical forests in Singapore, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Philippines and other neighboring countries.
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava): It can be found in temperate Europe and Asia. Northern and eastern populations migrate to Africa. It has 17 subspecies.

This is the complete 2008 WWF set issued by Macedonia and it is devoted to Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops). It has nine subspecies. It lives in Europe, Asia, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. The European and North Asian birds migrates to the tropical regions. It feeds mostly on insects but it can also eat seeds, berries, frogs and small reptiles.

Thank you George for this great cover from Taiwan. The stamps used were issued in 2007 and 2008.
Varied Tit (Cyanistes varius): The stamp was released in 2007. It can be found in forests in southeastern Russia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and northeastern China. It feeds on insects and seeds and it has nine subspecies.
Yellow-throated or Grey-chinned Minivet (Pericrocotus solaris): The stamp was issued in 2007. It lives in forests in China and Taiwan. It has eight subspecies.
Long-tailed or Rufus-backed Shrike (Lanius schach): The stamp was issued in 2008. It can be found in scrubby bushlands the Indomalayan ecozone and it migrates to southern areas. It eats large insects, lizards, small birds and rodents. It has nine subspecies.
Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus): The stamp was released in 2008. It lives in the forests of south and southeast Asia. It feeds on insects.

Thank you Laura for this great Canadian cover with the complete 1986 bird set. It is also used a 1988 stamp showing a Mallard.
Snow or Blue Goose (Chen caerulensces): It breeds in Greenland, Canada and Alaska and it migrates to warmer parts of USA and to Mexico. It feeds on grain and it has two subspecies.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias): It can be found in wetlands and shores of open water in West Indies, Galapagos Islands and North and Central America. It has five subspecies. It feeds on small fish, shrimps, crabs, aquatic insects, small birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis): This medium-sized grouse lives in coniferous forests in Alaska and Canada. It feeds on conifer needles, insects, berries and green plants.
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus): It is a large owl native to the Americas. It has about 13 subspecies. It hunts medium-sized mammals and birds and sometimes amphibians, insects, fish, reptiles and crustaceans.

Today I received my first mail from Suriname, a postcard with two stamps issued in 1977.

Grey-breasted Sabrewing (Campylopterus largipennis): This large hummingbird has one subspecies and it can be found east of the Andes in tropical South America.

Caica Parrot (Pionopsitta caica): It can be found in tropical and subtropical forests in Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana and Venezuela. The feed on eucalypt flowers, nectar, fruit and pollen.

Another registered cover from Philippines this time with full 2007 Kingfishers set. A 1993 anti-TB seal is also used.
Variable Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus): It can be found in subtropical and tropical forests in Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
Spotted Wood Kingfisher (Halcyon lindsayi): It is endemic to Philippines and it can be found in tropical and subtropical forests.
White-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis): It is a tree kingfisher living in eastern Europe and Asia. It feeds on fish, snakes, insects, earthworms, small reptiles, birds, crabs, small rodents and amphibians. It has four subspecies. I believe that H.s.gularis is shown on the stamp as it is the subspecies that can be found in Philippines.
Collared Kingfisher (Todirhamphus chloris): It can be found from Red Sea to southern Asia to Australasia and up to Polynesia. It has about 50 subspecies! It feeds on small crabs, small fish, lizards, worms, frogs, insects, snails and shrimps.
Palawan Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis): This medium-sized pheasant is also known as Napoleon Peacock-Pheasant. This endangered species is endemic to the Philippines.

In 2008 Philippines issued a set of four parrot stamps. Here is a registered cover with three of them along with 2009 Mugimaki Flycatcher stamp.
Red-vented Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia): This endangered species is endemic to Philippines. One of the factors that threaten it is its popularity as a pet. It feeds on seeds, fruit, flowers, nectar and buds.
Great-billed Parrot (Tanygnathus megalorhynchos): Another pet parrot. This bird can be found in forests, mangroves and woodlands is south-east Asian islands. It feeds on fruit.
Blue-naped Parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis): It can be found in forests and plantations in Philippines and Borneo. It feeds on berries, seeds, grain and nuts. It has three subspecies and it is threatened by illegal trade in the pet market.

Sometime ago, I presented a cover from Malaysia with a Milky Stork stamp. Here is the rest of the 2009 set along with a stamp of the 2005 definitive set.
White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus): It lives in south and southeast Asia. It feeds on insects.

Malayan Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron malacense): It is a medium-sized pheasant endemic to lowland forests of the Malay Peninsula. This threatened species feeds on fruit and small arthropods.

Malayan Whistling-thrush (Myophonus robinsoni): It is endemic to Malaysia. It is specialized on eating snails amongst others.

This is my only cover from Thailand. Three of the stamps used for postage are related to my topic and they were issued in 2001, 1996 and 2008.
Mustached Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri): It is also known as Red-breasted Parakeet. It has eight subspecies and it lives in China, India and Indonesia. It is a threatened species as it is a famous pet.
Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis): It lives in forests in south Asia. It is yet another endangered species. It feeds on fruit.
Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus): It lives in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. It has three subspecies. It eats fruit, reptiles, invertebrates and other small animals. It is too a threatened species. The stamp is coming from a m/s of two.

Thank you Jan for this envelope from Philippines. Both bird stamps were issued in 2009.
Mugimaki Flycatcher (Ficedula mugimaci): It is also known as Robin Flycatcher and it lives in eastern Asia. It is a migratory bird and it feeds on insects.
Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus): This bird lives in temperate Asia and in winter it migrates in tropical Asia. It has some subspecies.

Thank you Li for this beautiful cover from China. The bottom stamp comes from a 2008 m/s and it shows a Formosan Blue Magpie. The other two stamps were issued in 2002.
Cabot's Tragopan (Tragopan caboti): This pheasant is located in forests in south-east China. It has two subspecies. It is listed as an endangered species.
Xinjiang Ground-Jay (Podoces biddulphi): This endangered species is endemic to China.

Now I will present another cover from Hong Kong with another two values of the 2006 definitive series.
White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster): It lives on the coasts of southeast Asia and Australia. It feeds on fish, turtles, sea snakes, birds and mammals which it catches.
Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus): It lives in tropical southern Asia. This bird is 20-22 cm long. It has many subspecies. It eats insects.

Here is a cover from Kenya with four same stamps from a 1993 set. African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) as it's name states lives in Africa near freshwater lakes and rivers where it finds its main source of food, fish. This species also feeds on Flamingos, small turtles, baby crocodiles, waterfowl and carrion.

Here is another cover from Denmark with a couple of 2009 Peregrine Falcon stamps. I have already written about this species.

Thank you Christina for this nice cover from Denmark. The Skylark (Alauda arvensis) stamp was issued in 2010. It lives in Europe, Asia and north Africa. Only the eastern populations migrate. It eats insects and seeds.

Thank you Edna for this great cover which is my third from Austria. The stamps from left to right were released in 2007, 2010 and 2008. For Golden Eagle you can have a look in my algerian stamps and for Common Kingfisher in a cover from Hong Kong.
European Roller (Coracias garrulus): It lives in Europe, Middle East, central Asia and northern Africa. In winter it migrates to southern Africa. It has two subspecies. This threatened species feeds on frogs, small reptiles, large insects and rodents.

Here is a cover from South Africa. This African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) stamp was released in 1997. This seabird lives in the south-western coast of Africa and feeds on fish. It is an endangered species.

Here is another cover from USA badly postmarked. The bird stamps from left to right were issued in 1969, 1971, and 1994. The last two were a joint issue with China. We already talked about California Condor so I will focus on the other three stamps.
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus): It is a member of the woodpecker family. This migratory bird lives in North and Central America in woodlands. It has three subspecies of which one is unfortunately extinct. It feeds on insects, fruit, berries, nuts and seeds.

Whooping Crane (Grus americana): It lives in North America and it is an endangered species. They feed on crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, fish, frogs, snails, small rodents, berries etc.

Black-Necked Crane (Grus nigricollis): It lives in Asia and it is an endangered species. Like all cranes, they are too omnivorous.

Here is a cover from USA with a Ring-necked Pheasant stamp used for postage. The stamp was issued in 1988. This species was already presented on a Chinese cover.

I am back with a cover from Israel with a block of four bird stamps. This stamp was released in 1992 and it is the lowest value of a set of ten. Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) is the only member of the genus Tichodroma. It lives in Europe and Asia in mountains and it has two subspecies. It mostly feeds on insects and spiders.

Here is my last cover from Belarus with three of the four stamps from the 2008 owl issue. Attached to the last stamp is also a label coming from the stamp sheet.
Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo): This owl is resident in Europe and Asia and it can be found in mountains and forests. It feeds on small mammals, birds, frogs, lizards, snakes, fish and crabs.
Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops): This small migratory owl lives in southern Europe and central and western Asia. It feeds on insects and other invertebrates.

This is my favourite cover from Belgium which is also very well canceled. We have already seen all the stamps here except for the last one which was released in 2005. Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) lives in southern Europe, north Africa and in the Mediterranean Islands. It feeds on invertebrates, grain and small seeds.

Thank you Tanya for this great cover. The first stamp of the Little Owl is coming from a set of four issued in 2008. The second stamp was issued in 2005 and it shows Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa). This species lives in the Northern Hemisphere. It feeds on small mammals and birds.

Little Owl (Athene noctua): The stamp was issued in 2007. This owl has a few subspecies and it is a member of the Stringidae family. It feeds on insects, earthworms, amphibians, small birds and small mammals.
Willow Tit (Poecile montanus): The stamp was issued in 1997 and it is in Belgium's old currency. This endangered species lives in Europe and it feeds on insects, caterpillars and seeds.
Spotted or Eurasian Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes): The stamp was released in 2008. This bird lives in Asia and Europe. It has ten subspecies. It feeds on seeds of pines, insects, small birds, eggs, nestlings, small rodents and carrion.

A nice cover from Finland with pictorial postmarks. The bird stamp was issued in 2002. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) is a large swan which lives in wetlands in subarctic Europe and subarctic Asia. It migrates in eastern Asia and northern Europe.

Unfortunately this cover was machine canceled and not all stamps have been canceled. I will write only about the three birds that did not appear in the previous cover.
Eurasian Jackdaw (Corvus monedula): The stamp was issued in 2007. It lives in western Asia, Europe and north Africa. It has four subspecies. It is an opportunist feeder. It eats food waste, a wide variety of plant material and invertebrates.
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago): The stamp was issued in 2003. This small wader bird lives in northern Asia and northern Europe in marshes, bogs, tundra and wet meadows. It is a migratory species. It has two subspecies. It is a game bird.
Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola): This stamp was issued in 2009. It lives in temperate and subarctic Europe and Asia. The northern populations are migratory. It feeds on earthworms, insects and larvae, freshwater mollusks and some plant seeds. It is more active at dawn and dusk. It is a game bird.

A nice cover from Belgium both machine and hand canceled.
Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos): The stamp was issued in 2004. This species with the melodic voice lives in forests and scrub in Europe and south-west Asia. In the winter it migrates to southern Africa. It is considered to be an Old World Flycatcher.
Boreal or Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus): The stamp was released in 2007. This species lives in Asia, North America and Europe. It feeds on voles and other mammals, birds, insects and other invertebrates.

Thank you Boben for this nice postcard from India. The 2009 penguin stamp comes from a set of two. The other stamp shows polar bears. The set was issued in 2009 under the topic Preserve the polar regions and glaciers, a topic under which many countries issued stamps last year. About the Emperor Penguin you can read in the post about Chile's cover.

My first postcard from Indonesia. The stamp is part of a m/s issued in 2008. The other half of the m/s does not show a bird. Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) ia a large flightless bird. It lives in the tropical rain forests of Indonesia, New Guinea and northeastern Australia. It feeds on fruit, shoots, grass seeds, fungi, small vertebrates and invertebrates. It is a threatened species.

A very nice postcard from Belgium but unfortunately machine canceled. The owl stamp was issued in 2009. The tawny owl (Strix aluco) is of medium size. It lives in woodlands in Europe and Asia. It has 11 subspecies, it doesn't migrate and it is very territorial. As most owls, it is a nocturnal bird. It hunts rodents, birds, small mammals, earthworms and beetles.

Thank you Cristina for this postcard from Brazil. The bird stamp comes from a m/s of six issued in 2009. Yellow-billed Blue Finch (Porphyrospiza caerulescens) is a near threatened species which lives in east Bolivia and central and north-east Brazil in dry savanna.

Thank you Pam for this beautiful postcard from Switzerland. The stamp was issued in 2008. Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush (Monticola saxatilis) is the second member of the Thrush family that I am presenting. It lives in southern Europe and from central Asia to northern China. In the winter it migrates to Africa. It feeds on insects, small reptiles and berries.

Red-breasted Mergansed (Mergus serrator) is a diving duck. It lives in freshwater rivers and lakes in northern North America, Asia, Europe and Greenland. It is a migratory and game bird. It feeds on small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans and frogs.

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) is a dabbling duck. It lives in North America and it is partially migratory. It is also a game bird. It feeds by dabbling in shallow water and grazing on land. It eats plants, aquatic insects and molluscs.

The second prepaid postcard of the set. The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is also a migratory and game bird. It lives in temperate and subtropical America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Asia in wetlands. It has two subspecies. It is omnivorous.

Here is a prepaid postcard from Canada's Duck Decoy's 2006 issue. Barrow's Goldenneye (Bucephala islandica) is a medium-size sea duck. It lives in eastern Canada and Iceland. It is a migratory and game bird. It dives for aquatic insects, crustaceans and pond vegetation. It is named after Sir John Barrow.

My only mail from Georgia with the full set of 2007 WWF Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga or Clanga clanga). It lives in Asia, Europe and Middle East and it migrates. It feeds on small mammals. It is a vulnerable species.

Another cover from Taiwan. Greater Painted-snipe (Rostratula benghalensis) stamp was released in 2009. This species lives in Africa and Asia in marshes in groups of up to 12 birds. It feeds on seeds, insects, molluscs and crustaceans.

A nice hand-canceled cover from Taiwan. The stamp was issued in 2008. Grey Treepie or Himalayan Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae) lives in Asia in both forests and human habitation and it has several subspecies. It eats a variety of food: insects and other invertebrates, nectar, berries, grain, seeds, nestlings, eggs and small reptiles.