2009, May 13. Philippine Birds - Definitives (Reprints 2009A)
Litho Offset. Amstar Company, Inc. Perf. 13.5
Singles, Sheets of 100 (10 x 10)
Se-tenant Blocks of 10 (10 Blocks per sheet), Sheets of 100
Se-tenant Block of 10 Sunbirds of the Philippines (410,000)
7p Olive-backed Sunbird
7p Metallic-winged Sunbird
7p The Brown-throated Sunbird
7p Lina's Sunbird
7p Purple-throated Sunbird
7p Apo Sunbird
7p Copper-throated Sunbird
7p Flaming Sunbird
7p Grey-hooded Sunbird
7p Lovely Sunbird
Note: Originally a 2008 issue, reprinted earlier this year marked "2009" and now with "2009A".
Designs: All pictures taken from the book "A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines" by Robert S. Kennedy, Pedro C. Gonzales, Edward C. Dickinson, Hector C. Miranda, Jr., and Timothy H. Fisher.
First Day Covers: Manila
7p - The Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). Also known as the Yellow-bellied Sunbird. The Olive-backed Sunbird is common across southern China to the Philippines and Malaysia down to northeast Australia. Originally from mangrove habitat, the Olive-backed sunbird has adapted well to humans, and is now common even in fairly densely populated areas, even forming their nests in human dwellings. They are small songbirds, at most 4.75 inches long. The underparts of both male and female are bright yellow, the backs are a dull brown color. The forehead, throat and upper breast of the adult male is a dark, metallic blue-black. (http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/birds/olivebacked_sunbird/3667/index.html)
7p - Metallic-winged Sunbird (Aethopyga pulcherrima). A species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallic-winged_Sunbird). This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size. The population trend appears to be stable and size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8333&m=0)
7p - Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis). Also known as the Plain-throated Sunbird, is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in south-east Asia, ranging from Myanmar to the Lesser Sundas and west Philippines. The Grey-throated Sunbird found in the remaining part of the Philippines is often considered a subspecies of the Brown-throated Sunbird, but the two differ consistently in measurements and plumage, and there is no evidence of intergradation between them. The Brown-throated Sunbird is a relatively large, heavy sunbird with a thick bill. Like most sunbirds, the male Brown-throated Sunbird is more colourful than the female. The male has iridescent green and purple upperparts with chestnut on the wing-coverts and scapulars; it is primarily yellow below. The female is olive-green above and yellowish below. The Brown-throated Sunbird primarily feeds on nectar, but it will also take small fruits and berries. Juveniles are fed with insects. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain-throated_Sunbird)
7p - Lina's Sunbird (Aethopyga linaraborae). Lina’s Sunbird, common name for a small, colorful sunbird recently discovered in the Philippines. Lives in tropical forests at about 1200 m (about 4000 ft) on the isolated eastern mountains of the Philippine island of Mindanao. Its entire known range covers only about 800 sq km (about 300 sq mi). The Lina’s sunbird resembles a hummingbird with its long, curved beak used to sip nectar from flowers. Unlike hummingbirds, it is unable to hover in flight. It measures 10 to 11 cm (4 to 4.5 in) from beak to tail. A male is slightly larger than a female and has an olive green back, yellow belly, and a bright orange patch in the center of the breast. The head is gray-black and the bird has red eyes. The male Lina’s sunbird also has iridescent patches of blue, purple, or emerald green on its forehead, ear, tail, and wing. The female is more muted and lacks most of the colorful patches. Specimens of the Lina’s sunbird were collected in 1965 but were improperly identified as Apo sunbirds. In 1993 specimens collected by a joint team from the National Museum of the Phillippines and the Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati were correctly identified as a new species. The sunbird was named in honor of Lina Rabor, wife of Dioscoro Rabor, the noted Philippine ornithologist who collected the original 1965 specimens. (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761595255/lina%e2%80%99s_sunbird.html)
7p - Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata or Leptocoma sperata). Also known as Van Hasselt's Sunbird, a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is found in Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple-throated_Sunbird). The males and females are about the same size, 10 cm or 4 inches long. Females have olive-green under parts with a yellow belly. Males are very colourful, they have purple throats, red bellies with green on their heads, black-grey wings with a bright blue band. Their main food is nectar but they also eat small insects. (http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/student-projects/purple-throated-sunbird.htm).
7p – Apo Sunbird (Aethopyga boltoni). A species of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest. The species is not yet threatened by habitat loss, and is common within its range, but it is listed as Near Threatened due to its tiny range. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apo_Sunbird).
7p - Copper-throated Sunbird (Nectarina calcostetha Kelicap Bakau - Malay). Found mainly in mangroves, but also coconut groves and coastal scrub. Sunbirds eat insects but are best known for sipping on nectar. They have a typical long, slender, decurved bill with fine serration along the margins of both mandibles. Their tongue is tubular and deeply cleft. Like other Sunbirds, the Copper-throated male is more colourful than the female. In fact, females of most species of Sunbirds look very similar. The Copper-throated male has two bright yellow tufts on his sides, best seen when his wings are open. Males are particularly territorial and may defend a good feeding site from other Sunbirds. (http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/birds/Nectarina_calcosthetha.htm)
7p - Flaming Sunbird (Aethopyga flagrans). A species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaming_Sunbird). This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion. Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend. The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8332&m=0)
7p - Grey-hooded Sunbird (Aethopyga primigenia). A species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-hooded_Sunbird). This species is listed as Near Threatened because it has a small, fragmented range. Habitat within its altitudinal range is thought to be secure and hence it is not considered more threatened. (http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8330&m=0)
7p - Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi). A species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion. The population trend appears to be stable, and size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=32260&m=0)
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Birds