Frigatebird -an endangered sea bird

Date of Issue – 17 August 2010

Here is a set of new stamp issued by Christmas Island on one of the rarest sea birds, Frigatebird,The highly endangered bird on Christmas Island has been listed in the list of rarest birds under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The beautiful set of four stamps with a MS was issued on 17 August 2010.

Miniature sheet

The rarest native seabird on Christmas Island, the frigatebird, is featured as part of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Conservation Stamp Collection.

FDC

The frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi) is the rarest endemic seabird on Christmas Island, listed as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Considerable areas of the frigatebird's former breeding habitat have been cleared, and its current breeding areas are now threatened by the invasive Crazy Ant and pollution from past phosphate mining.

Gutter Strips

The male frigatebird is all black, except for a small white patch on the belly and brownish areas on the wings. It has a grey-black beak and develops a large, red and inflatable throat sac during courtship. The female has a black head and throat, white breast and belly, a white collar around the neck and a pink beak. The juvenile has a white or russet head and breast, white belly and a pale grey or flesh-pink beak.

Courtesy – Australia Post