Stamp of LATVIA 2022 - Birds of Latvia - Magpie & Common swift (2 stamps)
There
is a fair amount of superstition surrounding the Eurasian magpie (also called
the common magpie), a bird known for its jet black and white feathers and
purple-, green-, and blue-streaked wings. An old British rhyme predicts a
person’s fate on the basis of the number of magpies they’ve seen: “One for
sorrow, two for mirth, three for a funeral, and four for birth.” Some say that
if you fail to salute a magpie you’ve walked past, bad luck waits patiently
behind the next corner. And beware—many believe that if a solitary magpie,
whose species mates for life, is perched on a window of your home, this signals
loneliness and certain death. The poor bird’s name is loaded with mythical
connotation, but the magpie’s true marvel comes from its natural ability.
The
common magpie is one of the most intelligent birds—and one of the most
intelligent animals to exist. Their brain-to-body-mass ratio is outmatched only
by that of humans and equals that of aquatic mammals and great apes. Magpies
have shown the ability to make and use tools, imitate human speech, grieve,
play games, and work in teams. When one of their own kind dies, a grouping will
form around the body for a “funeral” of squawks and cries. To portion food to
their young, magpies will use self-made utensils to cut meals into proper
sizes.
Magpies
are also capable of passing a cognitive experiment called the “mirror test,”
which proves an organism’s ability to recognize itself in a reflection. To
perform this test, a colored dot is placed on animals, or humans, in a place
that they will be able to see only by looking into a mirror. Subjects pass if
they can look at their reflection and recognize that the mark is on themselves
and not another, often by attempting to reach and remove it. Passing the mirror
test is a feat of intelligence that only four other animal species can
accomplish.
Medium-sized
swift, dark overall with a white throat. Almost always seen in fast, direct
flight, which, as the name suggests, is swift. Bigger and longer-winged than
swallows, with strong stiff wingbeats. Lacks the white rump patches of
similarly-sized Pacific Swift (and other "fork-tailed swifts") and
various needletails. Nests in cavities in cliffs and buildings. Ranges widely
over any habitat in search of aerial insects, often over lakes and reservoirs
where swallows congregate. Usually flies higher than swallows except when
swooping low to drink by splashing briefly on water surface. Calls frequently,
especially near the nest, giving a high-pitched wheezing scream.
Shipping and handling: International regular mail - 3.50$ Registered mail is 8.50$