Commemorative Stamps on Exotic Birds – 5th December 2016.

Department of Posts issued Commemorative Stamps and Miniature Sheets on Exotic Birds Blue Throated Macaw, Sun Conure, Magnum Amazon, Cape Parrot, Hyacinth Macaw and Lesser Sulphur Crested Cockatoo on 5th December 2016.

Blue Throated Macaw: The blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis), also known as the Caninde macaw or Wagler's macaw, is a macaw known from the Llanos de Mojos in north Bolivia, being concentrated east of the upper río Mamoré, Beni (Duffield and Hesse 1997, Yamashita and Barros 1997), where the wild population was discovered in 1992. This species is cultural heritage of Bolivia. This species qualifies as Critically Endangered because its population is extremely small and each isolated subpopulation is tiny and declining because of trade and habitat loss. Bas per the IUCN Red list Blue-throated Macaws are protected by trading prohibitions. In 2007 the population was estimated at 250-300 individuals. The population is currently thought to be stable following successful conservation measures and near elimination of trade. The blue-throated macaw is about 85 cm long including the length of its tail feathers and has a wingspan of approximately three feet or 0.9 m. It weighs about 900 g to 1,100 g. Upperparts are turquoise-blue, slightly duller on crown and brighter on rump. Underparts largely bright yellow but the vent is pale blue.

Sun Conure: Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis) also known as Yellow Conure or Sun Parakeet is a medium-sized brightly colored parrot native to the north-eastern coastal forests of South America, specifically northeastern Brazil and Guyana. This species is endangered by loss of habitat and trapping for the pet trade. Their numbers are declining, and they are now very scarce or absent across many parts of its former range. However, they are popular and relatively common in the pet trade. Sun conures are now listed as endangered by the IUCN. Sun conures are very social birds, typically living in flocks. They form monogamous pairs for reproduction and nest in palm cavities in the tropics. Sun Conures measure 30 cm in length, including the long tail. They weigh between 100 – 130 g, with an average weight of 110 g. As with all conures, the Sun Conure has the bare, white skin patch around the eyes. The plumage of the sun conure is a strikingly beautiful red/orange/yellow over most of the bird. The wings have a slight green on the wings. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with predominantly golden-yellow plumage and orange-flushed underparts and face.

Magnum Amazon: The yellow-headed amazon (Amazona oratrix), also known as the yellow-headed parrot and double yellow-headed amazon, is an endangered amazon parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. It is a stocky short-tailed green parrot with a yellow head. It prefers to live in mangrove forests or forests near rivers or other bodies of water. The yellow-headed amazon averages 38–43 centimeters long. The shape is typical of amazons, with a robust build, rounded wings, and a square tail. The body is bright green, with yellow on the head, dark scallops on the neck, red at the bend of the wing, and yellow thighs. The flight feathers are blackish to bluish violet with a red patch on the outer secondaries. The base of the tail also has a red patch, which is usually hidden. The outer tail feathers have yellowish tips. It is a popular pet and an excellent talker. The variety "Magna Amazon" (or "Magnum Amazon") is bred for more yellow and commands a premium price as a pet.

Cape Parrot: The Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus) or Levaillant's parrot is a temperate forest dwelling Poicephalus parrot endemic to South Africa. It was formerly grouped as a subspecies (along with the savanna-dwelling brown-necked parrot (P. fuscicollis fuscicollis) and grey-headed parrot (P. f. suahelicus)) but is now considered a distinct species. The Cape parrot is a short-tailed moderately large bird with a very large beak used to crack all sorts of hard nuts and fruit kernels, especially those of African yellowwood trees Podocarpus spp.. This contrasts with the closely related savanna species (Poicephalus fuscicollis) which feeds on and a wide variety of tropical woodland trees such as Marula, Commiphora spp. and Terminalia spp. These species are sexually dimorphic, with females typically sporting an orange frontal patch on the forehead. Juveniles also show a larger orange - pink patch on the forehead but lack the red on shoulders and legs of adults. These plumage characteristics vary among individuals and among the three recognized forms.

Hyacinth Macaw: The hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), or hyacinthine macaw, is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length (from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail) of about 100 cm it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species, though the flightless kakapo of New Zealand can outweigh it at up to 3.5 kg. While generally easily recognized, it can be confused with the far rarer and smaller Lear's macaw. Habitat loss and the trapping of wild birds for the pet trade have taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild, so the species is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, and it is protected by its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Lesser Sulphur Crested Cockatoo: The yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) also known as the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo, is a medium-sized (approximately 34 cm long) cockatoo with white plumage, bluish-white bare orbital skin, grey feet, a black bill, and a retractile yellow or orange crest. The sexes are similar. The yellow-crested cockatoo is found in wooded and cultivated areas of East Timor and Indonesia's islands of Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas. It is easily confused with the larger and more common sulphur-crested cockatoo, which has a more easterly distribution and can be distinguished by the lack of pale yellow coloring on its cheeks (although some sulphur-cresteds develop yellowish patches). Also, the yellow-crested cockatoo's crest is a brighter color, closer to orange. The citron-crested cockatoo, which is a subspecies of the yellow-crested cockatoo, is similar, but its crest is clear orange. The yellow-crested cockatoo's diet consists mainly of seeds, buds, fruits, nuts and herbaceous plants.