The cancellation ceremony was held in Moscow within the framework of the opening of the 5
th Festival “Primeval Russia” at the Central House of Artists. The participants of the event are Sergei Ivanov, Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport, and Oleg Dukhovnitskiy, Head of the Federal Communications Agency of the Russian Federation.
This year postage stage stamps of the “Russian Fauna” series feature woodpeckers. The ornithofauna of central Russia has over 170 species. Woodpeckers are key representatives of the family
Picidae who are part of the order
Piciformes. Most members of the family are characterised by a chisel-shaped beak that they use to peck into bark and boon of a tree to take out food – insects and their larvae. The woodpecker body plan is centered around its main activity which is pecking. The birds use their springy tails for support, feathers help the bird balance, the bill is good on hard bark and the tongue is tailored to pulling out the prey. The plumage of woodpeckers is exceptionally diverse; the birds range from tiny species measuring no more than 8 cm in length to large woodpeckers which can be up to 60 cm in length. Almost all species are nonmigratory or nomadic; they are tree climbers and reluctant short-distance flyers. 14 species of this family are found throughout the territory of Russia.
“Russia’s natural wealth is a major popular theme in philately. In previous years we released state signs of postal payment dedicated to working dogs, wildcats, turtles and other fauna representatives. Envelopes and postcards featuring rare species of plants and our country’s picturesque landscapes are produced annually. The work is ongoing. The circulation of the postage stamps dedicated to woodpeckers is only 60 000 items. They will become part of the philatelic collections in Russia and all over the world attracting environmentalists and tourists to our country. I believe that through the philatelic products we will again empathise the importance of solicitous attitude to natural resources of Russia”, said Mr. Dukhovnitskiy.
Design: V. Beltyukov.
Face value: 35 RUB.
Size of stamp: 30×42 mm, size of sheet: 70×94 mm.
Form of issue: sheet with illustrated margins of 4 (2×2) stamps.
Circulation: 60 thousand stamps of each value (60 thousand sheets).
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