Royal Mail unveils iconic bird of prey stamps
- Published
The Royal Mail has unveiled ten new stamps today, which honour 10 UK birds of prey - the white-tailed eagle, the buzzard, the sparrowhawk, the merlin, the golden eagle, the kestrel, the goshawk, the hobby, the red kite and the peregrine falcon.
British photographer Tim Flach who took the images of the birds, also known as 'raptors', described it as "very special" to be asked to work on the stamp range. "I think it's great that Royal Mail has chosen to put a focus on the birds of prey that we have in the UK," he said.
The photographer went on to highlight the environmental message behind the new images. "I'm really mindful of the fact that we’ve never been more separated from nature," he said. "The stamps really let us better understand what these animals are. It's never been more important for us to think about the natural world."
The release follows recent news that the white-tailed eagle (pictured in the stamp here on the left), which is currently considered extinct in England, is to be reintroduced on the Isle of Wight this summer in the hope of recovering the population.
The main thing that sets this birds collection apart from others is they are carnivores. Raptors are the only birds which catch and carry their food with their strong feet. The stamps depicting these iconic creatures will be available in post offices from 4 March 2019.
- Published3 April 2019
- Published12 March 2021
