This year PostEurop’s 2019 the most beautiful stamp competition is based on the theme: “National Birds”. Gibraltar Post has introduced its version of Europa stamps that consists of two great philatelic items. Designed by Stephen Perera and illustrated by Jonathan Pointer, the stamps feature such species of birds as the Barbary Partridge or Alectoris Barbara, which belongs to the family Phasianidae. Let’s take a closer look at this captivating issue and at other Europa 2019 National Birds stamps.
The Barbary Partridge is considered Gibraltar’s national bird and is listed under Schedule 3 of the Nature Protection Act, which provides the highest level of protection under the Act. It is unclear whether this species of birds was imported during the Moorish occupation of the Rock, brought over by the British in the 1700s or if the population is indigenous. Barbary Partridge can be recognized by its blue-grey bib framed with chestnut brown. This bird will never be prized for its song which is described as a ‘series of shrill, broken monosyllable clucks with interposed double notes’. By the way, you can scan the stamp with the Cee-app to listen to the bird. Its meat however might be a little more appealing to some, and that is possibly how the birds originally came to the Rock.
