The U.S. Postal Service recently celebrated four birds that brighten cold winter days by dedicating the Songbirds in Snow Forever stamps.
The dedication took place at the American Philatelic Society StampShow in Portland, Ore., and included booklets of 20 stamps with each of the four designs repeated five times. The birds featured include the golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa), the cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum), the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and the red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis).
The four stamps were designed by illustrator Robert Giusti.
Illustrator Robert Giusti painted the original designs in acrylic on canvas board, depicting each bird perched on a snow-covered branch.
“The Postal Service has a long tradition of putting birds on stamps — to celebrate and raise awareness of these amazing creatures,” said USPS Vice-President of Sales Cliff Rucker, the dedicating official. “And the four stamps we’re dedicating today are truly beautiful works of art.”