For a minimum donation of $15 USD we will mail you a complimentary set of four limited edition Fairy Pitta stamps while supplies last. All proceeds will be used to support the mission to protect Taiwan's environment.

First day of issue: 2006-09-30 Sheet composition : 20 (4 x 5 or 5 x 4)
Paper used: Phosphorescent stamp paper Printer: China Color Printing
Co., Ltd. Stamp size: 29 × 37 或 37 × 29 (mm) Color: Colorful Process:
Deep etch offset Perforation: 13

Description：

The fairy pitta (Pittanympha), a member of the order passeriformes in the family pittidae, is known in Chinese as the "eight-color bird" for its eye-catching plumage of eight different colors: black, white, yellow, red, blue, dark green, chestnut and bright blue. Taiwan currently provides the largest fairypitta habitat and breeding range of any place in the world, yet the
population of fairy pittas is declining rapidly as a result of habitat loss.

To encourage ecological conservation,Chunghwa Post has asked Mr. Lin Ruey-Shing of the Endemic Species Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, to plan a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet on the Conservation of Birds Postage Stamps - Fairy Pitta.

Stamp Designs:

1. Perching High (NT$5.00): Fairy pittas are active on the ground of the
forest. To attract mates, the males often perch on high branches and
sing their hearts out.

2. Flying (NT$5.00): Although they are excellent flyers, fairy pittas spend most of their time on the ground. When they make short-distance dashes in the woods, their bright blue wing coverts and upper tail coverts, as well as the snowy white spots in their wings, shimmer. It is a dazzling sight.

3. Rearing the Young (NT$10.00): Fairypittas like to build their nests on the grounds of steep slopes, in the forks of low shrubs or at the base of bamboo bushes in low-altitude broad-leaved forests where the tree crowns are dense. The males and females share the responsibility for hatching eggs and rearing the young.

4. Foraging (NT$10.00): Fairy pittas are shy birds. Their sharp
senses help them to find food. Earthworms are the primary food source
for baby birds. Their diverse diet also includes caterpillars, beetles,
ants, centipedes, snails and cicadas.