Gorgeous hummingbirds adorn new stamp series of U.S. Postal Service

Ah, the delight of visual beauty mixed with the chirps and beeps of hummingbirds is one of the finest gifts Mother Nature has bestowed upon humankind. Celebrating this gorgeous treat for the eyes and ears, the United States Postal Service has issued four stamps celebrating the flora of America’s spring and summer gardens and the vital role of hummingbirds in their pollination. Named Garden Delights, every stamp has a female ruby-throated hummingbird hovering near a sunflower, a zinnia, a cigar flower and a spotted touch-me-not. The stamps were unveiled in Strongsville, Ohio, recently.

Hummingbirds are found only in the USA. There exist 16 species of the birds, which are known for their strikingly unusual features and tiny size. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are among the smallest of the lot. They weigh approximately as much as a penny and are 3.5 inches in length.

Hummingbirds are remarkable pollinators. It is estimated that more than 7,000 flowering plants rely on hummingbirds to collect and deliver the pollen needed to produce fruit and seeds.

Greg Breeding, an art director for the Postal Service, designed the stamps. He used pictures clicked by wildlife photographer Ben King.

In 2014, the Postal Service had introduced stamps honouring songbirds. They featured 10 different species of the birds. In 2018, it introduced the black-capped chickadee, the northern cardinal, the blue jay, and the red-bellied woodpecker for the Birds in Winter Forever stamps.

Source: PR Newswire