Bird Life: Petrel

Issue Date: 23rd January 2005













Storm Petrels were, in the past, referred to by sailors as Mother Carey's Chickens (ex mater cara or madre cara, Mother Dear), from a superstition that they were the embodiment, or re-incarnation, of mariners who had died at sea.

BirdLife International, the charitable organisation sponsoring all aspects of bird conservation throughout the world, is currently collecting factual data in Antarctica on some 20 species of birds which breed there, including several petrels.

British Antarctic Territory stamps featuring petrels have just been commissioned in support of BirdLife's work.

25p - Cape Petrel Daption capense

42p - Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea

75p - Wilson`s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus

£1.00 - Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica

6 x 50p Sheetlet - Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus


Technical Details:
Release Date: 23 January 2005
Designer: Mike Skidmore
Printer: BDT International Security Printing
Process: Lithography
Size: 30.56 x 38mm (stamps) 85 x 107mm (sheetlet)
Watermark: CA Spiral
Perforation: 14 per 2cms



Copyright: FI Philatelic Bureau Created and Maintained by: Cyberpoint Limited