Birds Perched, Birds Flying, Birds Aground

Quick! Besides the kiwi and the kea, how many New Zealand birds whose names begin with the letter "K" can you name?

Well, here are images of four engraved New Zealand semi-postal health stamps depicting such birds, designed by the Display Section of the Government Printing Office.

- nethryk

Issued on August 10, 1960, Scott Nos. B59 & B60:

Kotare, aka Sacred kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)


Kereru, aka New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)


Issued on August 2, 1961, Scott Nos. B61 & B62:

Kotuku, aka White Heron (Egretta alba modesta)


Karearea, aka New Zealand Falcon and Bush Hawk (Falco novaeseelandiae)

You are Kwick! ;-)

nethryk, just seen your post and excellent scans and immediately I thought of Kingfisher. But I'm pretty certain that NZ didn't do a health stamp for that. Anyone have a stamp with the Sacred Kingfisher on it?

Jon

JonEBoy - Thanks! But now I'm confused: Isn't the kotare (posted above) also known as the sacred kingfisher?

Here are images of two stamps depicting Northern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi), designed and engraved by Claude Andréotto, and issued for use in French Southern and Antarctic Territories on January 1, 1984, Scott Nos. 108 & 109. Note: This bird is now considered an endangered species.

- nethryk

Azure-winged Magpies (Cyanopica cyanus), printed by lithography, and issued by Portugal on September 30, 1976 as one of a set of four stamps publicizing Portucale 77, the 2nd International Thematic Exhibition, held in Oporto, October 29 to November 6, 1977, Scott No. 1298, plus a drawing of this bird by German zoologist and botanist Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), who described the species in 1776.

- nethryk

My Ascension Island birds.

Grey Crowned Cranes (Balearica regulorum) in flight, airmail stamp designed by W. Wind, printed by photogravure (Harrison & Sons, Ltd.), and issued by Ghana on October 5, 1959, Scott No. C2.

- nethryk

Here are images of the four semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set depicting birds, designed by Swiss graphic artist and illustrator Richard Gerbig, printed by photogravure (Courvoisier S.A.), and issued by Switzerland on December 1, 1970, Scott Nos. B394-B397.

- nethryk

Blue titmice (Cyanistes caeruleus)


Hoopoe (Upupa epops)


Greater Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)


Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus)

Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius), designed by "Schmitt," printed by lithography (ITVF), and issued by Andorra (French Admin.) on May 12, 2001, Scott No. 538, plus photo.

- nethryk

Bird swimming: Black-necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus), designed by Falklands artist George Roberts, engraved and printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., Ltd., and issued for use in Falkland Islands on July 14, 1941, Scott No. 86A.

- nethryk

I have seen black swans at a zoo, but one that is both black AND white must be quite something. Nice stamp!

Just confirming the Kotare is the Sacred Kingfisher - (2d + 1d Health)

New Zealand also had a Kingfisher stamp - the 50c from the 1988 Native Bird Definitives