BAHAMAS STAMPS & ABACO BIRDS: ‘IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF PHILATELY’
The Bahamas produces frequent issues of wildlife stamps. Mostly birds, but also reef fish and sea creatures, animals, butterflies and flowers. I am gradually collecting an album of Bahamas wildlife stamps on a PHILATELY page. I’ve been having a look at a 16-bird issue from 1991 which reflects the wide diversity of species extremely well. Here is the set, with comparative photos of each bird. All but one were taken on Abaco, the rare Burrowing Owl being the exception. All the other 15 birds may be found on Abaco as permanent residents, either easily or with a bit of a look and some luck. I personally have not seen the Clapper Rail (though I saw a SORA) or the rarer Key West Quail-Dove.
The bird list and image credits
Green Heron Butorides virescens Nina Henry
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura RH (Delphi)
Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus RH (Marls)
Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris Erik Gauger
Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus RH (Marls)
Key West Quail-Dove Geotrygon chrysia Becky Marvil
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Bruce Hallett
Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia RH (UK)
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus Tony Hepburn
Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor Tony Hepburn
*Bahama Mockingbird Mimus gundlachii RH (National Park)
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus RH (Backcountry, South Abaco)
Thick-billed Vireo Vireo crassirostris Susan Daughtrey
*Bahama Yellowthroat Geothlypis rostrata Tom Sheley
Western Spindalis Spindalis zena Janene Roessler
Greater Antillean Bullfinch Loxigilla violacea Bruce Hallett
* Endemic species for Bahamas
STAMPS http://freestampcatalogue.com Tony Bray
