BirdLife International in Indochina The stamps depict Edwards's Pheasant, Orange-necked Partridge, Vietnamese Pheasant, Crested Argus and Germain's Peacock-pheasant Zoom In

Vietnamese stamps of rare Galliformes

29-03-2006

On 1 April 2006 a stamp set depicting Vietnam’s threatened and endemic partridges and pheasants (Galliformes) will be launched by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication of Vietnam.

In consultation with ornithological experts from the BirdLife International Vietnam Programme, the Ministry selected five Galliformes to be depicted on the new stamp set. They are Edwards’s Pheasant Lophura edwardsi, Orange-necked Partridge Arborophila davidi, Vietnamese Pheasant Lophura hatinhensis, Germain’s Peacock-pheasant Polyplectron germaini and Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata.

All five species have small populations that are declining because of habitat loss and fragmentation and high levels of hunting. The first three are regarded by BirdLife as Endangered, and the others as Near Threatened (they were downlisted from Vulnerable in 2005, due to greater knowledge of their numbers).

"The stamps will remind people of Vietnam’s rich and spectacular bird life, which is the envy of the rest of the world. It’s our duty to protect these magnificent species and their forest homes - they’re a valuable part of our natural heritage." —Ms. Pham Tuan Anh, BirdLife Vietnam Programme Manager

This is the first time BirdLife and the Ministry have co-operated to publish stamps depicting Vietnam’s spectacular bird life, and in recognition of BirdLife’s assistance, each stamp carries the BirdLife International logo.

BirdLife hopes to continue the co-operation with the Ministry to produce more stamp sets over the coming years, depicting threatened and migrant waterbirds, pittas and threatened birds of prey.