Birds of Falkland Islands

Two birds stamps from Falkland Islands. Falkland Islands is an overseas British territory in the south Atlantic Ocean . Hence the Queen’s silhouette is seen on these stamps too ! 

The two stamps are part of the definitives of 2017 . 

The stamps show Falkland grass Wren and the two banded Plover. 

One of two species of wren living in the Falklands, the Grass Wren is fairly widespread but nowhere abundant.The subspecies Cistothorus platensis falklandicus is only found in the Falkland Islands. Favoured habitat is tall marshland, grassland, reed beds and tussac grass. Hollow ball-shaped nests woven from grass, often with an entrance tunnel, are constructed well above the ground in tall grass or reeds. Between 5 and 7 eggs are laid during October or November. A wide variety of invertebrates are taken as food, including moths, flies, beetles, caterpillars and grubs. By nesting above ground Grass Wrens do have some defence against introduced rodents. Nevertheless Grass Wrens are found at higher densities on islands which are still rat-free, showing that the introduction of rats has been detrimental. 

Twobanded Plover - A handsome, migratory plover breeding across the southern tip of South America and moving mainly north to winter in coastal habitats and estuaries in central Chile, Uruguay and southern Brazil, but also winters coastally at Tierra del Fuego; resident on the Falkland Islands. During the breeding season can be found relatively far inland, nesting in flooded grasslands and freshwater wetlands. Note stocky build and pot-bellied appearance, and usually double breast band 

A two species of birds , restricted to the Falkland Islands and the nearby areas . Nice cover indeed !