1233) Tengmalm's Owl, Lithuania: included in the Lithuanian Red Book: A Postage stamp of 0.75 Euro issued by Lithuanian Post: Stamp issue date: 31.01.2020:

1233) Tengmalm's Owl, Lithuania: included in the Lithuanian Red Book: A Postage Stamp of 0.75 Euro issued by Lithuanian Post: Stamp issue date: 31.01.2020:

The Boreal Owl is a small owl. In Europe, it is known as Tengmalm's Owl (named after the Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm, which lives throughout the Northern Hemisphere in coniferous and less often in mixed forests, is named after the special humming that has been ringing in the forests since February - "lu-tu-tu".

Its scientific name is "Aeogolius funereus" ("Aeogolius" is a type of screech owl believed to be a bird of ill-omen and "funereus" means "funereal".

This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as "typical owls" - Strigidae - which contains most species of owls. Due to its shyness and evasive reaction to human activities, nocturnal unsociable habits and preferred taiga forest habitat, it is rarely seen by humans.

The owl is 22-27 cm (or 8.7-10.6 inches) long with a 50-62 cm (or 20-24 inches) wingspan. It is brown above, with flecking on the shoulders. Its underparts are whitish, streaked with rust. Its head is large, with yellow eyes and a white facial disc and a "surprised" appearance. Its beak is light yellow. The flight pattern is relatively noiseless and straight, so only a few lucky spotters can notice this little bird.

It prefers dense coniferous forests for breeding, and in mountain ranges across the Alps. It lays 3-6 eggs in a tree hole and in nest boxes put up by naturalists and biologists. 

Its diet consists of mainly eating voles and other mammals, birds, insects and invertebrates. Though nocturnal, in the Northernmost parts of its range, it is forced to hunt during daylight, because of very short nights in summer. During the day, it hides between branches of a tree or in a nest in a tree.

Due to its small stature, it is often preyed by other owls and large raptors thus decreasing its average life span, which can reach up to 16 years.

It is the smallest and the most mysterious owls in Lithuania. It is often seen squatting close to a tree-trunk or lying in a hollow. 

Because it is a rare bird, it is included in the Lithuanian Red Book.

The Commemorative Stamp:

The Postage stamp of 0.75 Euro shows a family of  three owls - an adult and two juveniles.

The First Day Cover ()FDC) shows a family of three owls - One adult and two juveniles, at left. The postage stamp of 0.75 Euros is affixed at top right.

The special Cancellation Handstamp/postmark shows an image of an adult owl in the centre. The Cancellation is dated - "31.01.2020".

A Full Sheet (FS)/Souvenir Sheet (SS) of 6 x 2= 12 Stamps of 0.75 Euro each.

A MAXI CARD issued at the time of release of the stamp

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 31.01.2020

Stamp Size: 37.5 mm x 30.0 mm

Denomination of Stamp/Stamp value: 0.75 Euro

Printer: "Baltijas Banknote SIA", Latvia

Process: Offset

Designer: L. Aleknaviciute

Links:

1) Lithuania: Celebrating the Uzagavenes Festival: (The end of winter & the coming of spring): Bank of Lithuania has issued two coins - A 5 Euro Silver coin and a 1.5 Euro Cupro-nickel Coin in honour of the Festival

2) Symbols of Lithuania State - Historic Paper Banknotes: A set of three stamps issued on the theme "Numismatics" and features Lithuanian Banknotes issued after the "Law on Monetary Unit" adopted on 09.08.1922: Stamp issue date: 17.01.2020

3) Tengmalm's Owl, Lithuania: included in the Lithuanian Red Book: A Postage stamp of 0.75 Euro issued by Lithuanian Post: Stamp issue date: 31.01.2020