Estonia:EUROPA - Endangered National Wildlife

On 6 May 2021 Omniva (formerly known as Eesti Post) issued two new stamps celebrating Estonia's rich and rare natural wildlife.

Issue Description
The stamps are part of the EUROPA series in which postal administrations across Europe produce stamps to a central theme bearing the EUROPA logo. The chosen theme for 2021 is Endangered National Wildlife.

Stamps
The Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) (€ 1.90)

The Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa Epops) is a bright and colourful bird about the size of a pigeon. It has a feather tuft on the top of its head which stands up when excited. The elegant bird may often be seen walking on the ground or sometimes even running short distances. It is also capable of climbing trees, but this can rarely be seen. Its flight is reminiscent of a large butterfly because of its undulating path and rapid wing flapping. The Eurasian hoopoe nests in hollows in trees, on the ground or in walls. It is afraid of men but not of man-made structures. The bird tries to reuse its nest for several years. They do not clean the nests which is why they tend to smell. The Eurasian hoopoe mainly eats insects, particularly beetles and their larvae.

Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium Calceolus) (€ 1.90)

The lady’s slipper (Cypripedium Calceolus) is the orchid with the largest flower in Estonia and Europe. The flowers measure up to 10 cm and are shaped like shoes. Blooms from late May until early July. The lady’s slipper is pollinated by insects, the faint vanilla scent of the flowers attracts small insects. However, the flower is a trap for pollinators because the only way out of the shoe-shaped labellum is by climbing past the anthers and stigma. The plant reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively by rhizome. Usually grows on wooden meadows, forest edges and in thinner spruce and mixed forests.

Sheets
Each sheet with formatted margins contains 10 (2 x 5) stamps (one design) printed with alternating rows inverted, allowing Tête-bêche vertical pairs.

EUROPA Series
Other Issues under the EUROPA theme include: