Something to Chirp About

Birds in Winter Forever Stamps Dedicated in Vermont

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Sep 21, 2018, 14:00 ET

QUECHEE, Vt., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the midst of winter, when leaves have fallen from the trees and snow covers the ground in many areas, the lively sights and sounds of resident birds can be a welcome treat. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates these beautiful creatures with Birds in Winter Forever stamps.

A first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the stamps will be held tomorrow at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee, VT, with Postal Service Pricing and Costing Vice President, Sharon D. Owens, serving as the dedicating official.

Birds in Winter Forever stamps feature four of winter’s winged beauties – the black-capped chickadee, a northern cardinal, a blue jay and a red-bellied woodpecker.

"It's easy to see why Birds in Winter will be enjoyed by the American public," said Owens. "These stamps are a beautiful representation of the resourceful and resilient birds we see flying about woodland areas all winter long."

The stamps feature four of winter's winged beauties – the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and the red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). The stamp art features four striking designs that highlight these resident birds. The somber feeling of winter, evoked by the stark white backgrounds, is enlivened by the bold colors of the birds' plumage in the simplified shapes of the digital rendering.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with original artwork by Nadia Taylor.

The Birds in Winter stamps are being issued as Forever stamps in booklets of 20. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Customers may purchase these stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

Information on ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks and covers is at usps.com/shop under "Collectors." A video of the ceremony will be available on the Postal Service's Facebook page.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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