Bird of the Year, Eurasian Curlew on new stamp from Belarus

On March 14, 2011 Belarus will issue a new stamp in its "Bird of the year" series featuring Eurasian Curlew.

The stamp is issued with the assistance of the public organization "Ahova ptushak Batskaushchyny" (Protection of Homeland Birds) which declared the Eurasian Curlew a bird of the year 2011.

There are logos of the International organization of birds protection "BirdLife International" and Belarus public organization "Ahova ptushak Batskaushchyny" (APB) on the stamps.

The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is the one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. The largest wader in its range, at 50-57 cm length, and a 1 m wingspan. It is mainly grayish brown, with a white back, and a very long curved bill. Males and females look identical, but the bill is longest in the adult female. The familiar call, from which this bird gets its name, is a loud curloo-oo.