ANIMALS – BIRDS – SEABIRDS – SNOWY EGRET (EGRETTA THULA) #2

Animals - Birds - Seabirds

Snowy egret (Egretta thula)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Subclass : Neornithes
Infraclass : Neognathae
Superorder : Neoaves
Order : Pelecaniformes
Family :Ardeidae
Genus : Egretta
Species : E. Thula

Description:

The Snowy egret(Egretta thula) is a small white heron. It is the American counterpart to the very similar Old World little egret, which has established a foothold in the Bahamas. At one time, the beautiful plumes of the snowy egret were in great demand by market hunters as decorations for women's hats. This reduced the population of the species to dangerously low levels.[citation needed] Now protected in the United States by law, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, this bird's population has rebounded.

Adults are typically 61 cm (24 in) long and weigh 375 g (0.827 lb) They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. The area of the upper bill, in front of the eyes, is yellow but turns red during the breeding season, when the adults also gain recurved plumes on the back, making for a "shaggy" effect. The juvenile looks similar to the adult, but the base of the bill is paler, and a green or yellow line runs down the back of the legs.

Snowy Egrets nest in colonies on thick vegetation in isolated places—such as barrier islands, dredge-spoil islands, salt marsh islands, swamps, and marshes. They often change location from year to year. During the breeding season Snowy Egrets feed in estuaries, saltmarshes, tidal channels, shallow bays, and mangroves. They winter in mangroves, saltwater lagoons, freshwater swamps, grassy ponds, and temporary pools, and forage on beaches, shallow reefs, and wet fields.

Binomial Name:

Name : Egretta thula
Taxonomist : Juan Ignacio Molina (Guaraculén, Chile)
Year : 1782
Subspecies : 2 (Thula, Brewsteri)
Synonyms : Ardea thula, Egretta candidissima, Ardea candidissima

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status :Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2011 – Uruguay – Unique Stamp, from “Isla de Flores” National Park Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: November 16th, 2011
Printed: 15.000 copies
Type : Unique Stamp from Series
Value : UYP 12

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 47 mm. x 32 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - RATITES - GREATER RHEA (RHEA AMERICANA)

Animals - Birds - Ratites

Greater Rhea (Rhea americana)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Subclass : Neornithes
Infraclass : Palaeognathae
Order : Rheiformes
Family :Rheidae
Genus : Rhea
Species : R. Americana

Description:

The Greater rhea(Rhea americana) is a flightless birdfound in eastern South America. Other names for the greater rhea include the grey, common, or American rhea; ñandú (Guaraní); or ema (Portuguese). One of two species in the genus Rhea, in the family Rheidae, the greater rhea is endemic to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. It inhabits a variety of open areas, such as grasslands, savanna or grassy wetlands. Weighing 20–27 kilograms (44–60 lb), the greater rhea is the largest bird in South America. In the wild, the greater rhea has a life expectancy of 10.5 years. It is also notable for its reproductive habits, and for the fact that a group has established itself in Germany in recent years. The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

The greater rhea derives its scientific name from Rhea, a Greek goddess, and the Latinized form of America. It was originally described by Carolus Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae under the name Struthio camelus americanus. He identified specimens from Sergipe, and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, in 1758. They are from the family Rheidae, and the order Struthioniformes, commonly known as ratites. They are joined in this order by emus, ostriches, cassowaries, and kiwis, along with the extinct forms moas, and elephant birds.

The adults have an average weight of 20–27 kg (44–60 lb) and often measure 127 to 140 cm (50 to 55 in) long from beak to tail; they usually stand about 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall to the top of the head. The males are generally bigger than the females. Large males can weigh up to 40 kg (88 lb), stand nearly 1.83 m (6.0 ft) tall and measure over 150 cm (59 in) long, although this is rare.

Binomial Name:

Name : Rhea americana
Taxonomist : Carl Linnaeus (Småland - Sweden)
Year : 1758
Subspecies : 5 (Americana, Intermidia, Nobilis, Araneipes, Albescens)
Synonyms : Struthio camelus americanus, Struthio americanus

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Near-threatened species

A Near-threatened speciesis a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT)by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status. The IUCN notes the importance of re-evaluating near-threatened taxa at appropriate intervals.

Philatelic Issues

2014 – Uruguay – Unique Stamp, from “Tranqueras” Centenary Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: July 22nd, 2015
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Unique Stamp from Series
Value: UYP 15

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - SEABIRDS - SNOWY EGRET (EGRETTA THULA)

Animals - Birds - Seabirds

Snowy egret (Egretta thula)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Subclass : Neornithes
Infraclass : Neognathae
Superorder : Neoaves
Order : Pelecaniformes
Family :Ardeidae
Genus : Egretta
Species : E. Thula

Description:

The Snowy egret(Egretta thula) is a small white heron. It is the American counterpart to the very similar Old World little egret, which has established a foothold in the Bahamas. At one time, the beautiful plumes of the snowy egret were in great demand by market hunters as decorations for women's hats. This reduced the population of the species to dangerously low levels.[citation needed] Now protected in the United States by law, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, this bird's population has rebounded.

Adults are typically 61 cm (24 in) long and weigh 375 g (0.827 lb) They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. The area of the upper bill, in front of the eyes, is yellow but turns red during the breeding season, when the adults also gain recurved plumes on the back, making for a "shaggy" effect. The juvenile looks similar to the adult, but the base of the bill is paler, and a green or yellow line runs down the back of the legs.

Snowy Egrets nest in colonies on thick vegetation in isolated places—such as barrier islands, dredge-spoil islands, salt marsh islands, swamps, and marshes. They often change location from year to year. During the breeding season Snowy Egrets feed in estuaries, saltmarshes, tidal channels, shallow bays, and mangroves. They winter in mangroves, saltwater lagoons, freshwater swamps, grassy ponds, and temporary pools, and forage on beaches, shallow reefs, and wet fields.

Binomial Name:

Name : Egretta thula
Taxonomist : Juan Ignacio Molina (Guaraculén, Chile)
Year : 1782
Subspecies : 2 (Thula, Brewsteri)
Synonyms : Ardea thula, Egretta candidissima, Ardea candidissima

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status :Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 8, from Wetland Animals Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - BARN OWL (TYTO ALBA)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Barn owl (Tyto alba)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Subclass : Neornithes
Infraclass : Neognathae
Superorder : Neoaves
Order : Strigiformes
Family :Strigdae
Subfamily : Tytoninae
Genus : Tyto
Species : T. Alba

Description:

The Barn owl(Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as the Common barn owl, to distinguish it from other species in its family, Tytonidae, which forms one of the two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical owls (Strigidae). The barn owl is found almost everywhere in the world except polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalayas, most of Indonesia and some Pacific islands.

Phylogenetic evidence shows that there are at least three major lineages of barn owl, one in Eurasia and Africa, one in Australasia and one in the New World, and some highly divergent taxa on islands. Some authorities further split the group, recognizing up to five species, and further research needs to be done to clarify the position. There is a considerable variation between the sizes and color of the approximately 28 subspecies but most are between 33 and 39 cm (13 and 15 in) in length with wingspans ranging from 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in). The plumage on head and back is a mottled shade of grey or brown, the underparts vary from white to brown and are sometimes speckled with dark markings. The face is characteristically heart-shaped and is white in most species. This owl does not hoot, but utters an eerie, drawn-out shriek.

The barn owl is nocturnal over most of its range but in Britain and some Pacific islands, it also hunts by day. Barn owls specialize in hunting animals on the ground and nearly all of their food consists of small mammals which they locate by sound, their hearing being very acute. They mate for life unless one of the pair gets killed, when a new pair bond may be formed. Breeding takes place at varying times of year according to locality, with a clutch, averaging about four eggs, being laid in a nest in a hollow tree, old building or fissure in a cliff. The female does all the incubation, and she and the young chicks are reliant on the male for food. When large numbers of small prey are readily available, barn owl populations can expand rapidly, and globally the bird is considered to be of least conservation concern. Some subspecies with restricted ranges are more threatened.

Binomial Name:

Name : Tyto alba
Taxonomist : Giovanni Antonio Scopoli (Cavalese - Italy)
Year : 1769
Subspecies : Around 28 (Alba, Pranticola, Tuidara, … )
Synonyms : Strix alba Scopoli, Strix pratincola, Tyto delicatula

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status :Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 5 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated