05.06.2013

Latvijas Pasts makes two additions to Birds of Latvia series

Latvijas Pasts is releasing two new stamps in the Birds of Latvia series, depicting two birds found in Latvia – the Long-tailed Duck and the European Bee-eater. The first-day cancellation event will take place on 7 June 2013 in central post office Sakta in 32 Brīvības Boulevard, Riga, from 8 AM to 6 PM. The stamps have been designed by artist Ģirts Grīva.

The new stamps and first-day covers depict the Long-tailed Duck and the European Bee-eater. The print run of the Long-tailed Duck is 50,000 stamps, its face value: LVL 0.35 and EUR 0.50, corresponding to the cost of mailing a regular letter within Latvia. The face value of the European Bee-eater is LVL 0.98 and EUR 1.39, making it suitable for mailing a registered letter within Latvia. Its print run is also 50,000.

The Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) is an aquatic bird species of the duck family. It nests in tundra, but lives in the Baltic Sea from November to May. The bird is noted for the great variety in its feather patterns – white with brown, gray and black; the colors depend on the sex, age and season. Uniquely, the Long-tailed Duck changes its feathers three times in a year. The Baltic Sea is one of the most important overwintering locations of the Long-tailed Duck – approximately 4.5 million of the birds spend the winter there. In 2013, the Latvian Ornithological Society chose the Long-tailed Duck as the Bird of the Year in Latvia.

The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a beautiful bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. The European Bee-eater used to be a rare guest in Latvia, but since 2003 it has been nesting here every year, making it one of the latest bird species nesting in Latvia. The European Bee-eater eats mainly bees, wasps, hornets, dragonflies and various insects. The bird can eat as much as 250 bees in a day.

The Birds of Latvia series was initiated in 2010 with stamps dedicated to the European Roller and the European Eagle-Owl. The Icterine Warbler and the Short-toed Snake Eagle were added in 2011, and in 2012 Latvijas Pasts released stamps depicting the Barn Swallow and the European Goldfinch.

See the new Birds of Latvia stamps Long-tailed Duck and European Bee-eater and the first-day covers and cancellation here.

The next new philatelic release, which will be dedicated to the Song and Dance Festival, is scheduled for June 28.

About SJSC Latvijas Pasts

Latvijas Pasts ensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides commercial transport, express mail, payment, press subscription, retail and philatelic services. Latvijas Pasts is a fully State-owned company with more than 4,200 employees.

Additional information:
Zane Plone
SJSC Latvijas Pasts
Public Relations Specialist
Phone: +371 67608504
E-mail: zane.plone@pasts.lv