# 5799l - 2023 First-Class Forever Stamp - Endangered Species: Golden-cheeked Warbler
U.S. #5799l
2023 Golden-cheecked Warbler – Endangered Species
- Part of the Endangered Species set celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act
- Design pictures a photograph by Joel Sartore’s famous “Photo Ark” project
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Endangered Species
Value: 63¢, First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: May 19, 2023
First Day City: Wall, South Dakota
Quantity Issued: 30,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset, Flexographic
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act and the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.
About the stamp design: Like the others in the set, the photograph on the stamp is from Joel Sartore’s famous “Photo Ark” project. They are among over 13,000 the National Geographic photographer has taken in his quest to shoot photos of as many animal species as possible.
Special design details: Stamp includes “Endangered” and the common name of the species.
First Day City: First Day of Issue Ceremony was in Wall, South Dakota, at the National Grasslands Visitor Center. The center encourages visitors to see the 20 National Grasslands and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. These habitats are home to the black-footed ferret, one of the endangered species pictured in the set of stamps.
About the Endangered Species set: The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28. The legislation “protect[s] species and the ecosystems upon which they depend,” with a goal “to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost.” The ESA is jointly administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service.
In 2023, the US Postal Service celebrated the 50th anniversary of the ESA with a set of 20 Forever stamps. The stamps were issued on Endangered Species Day, which lands on the third Friday in May. Each design pictures a different endangered species, representing only a small handful of the over 1,300 plants and animals protected under the ESA as of 2023. The images used for the stamps were part of Joel Sartore’s “Photo Ark.” Partnering with National Geographic, he set out to capture 20,000 species living in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries around the world. Together, they are determined to intimately picture each species in order to educate and bring awareness to their preservation. Sartore calls his work as a photographer a “mission to document endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving.”
Thanks to the ESA, many plant and animal species that were once endangered have made a comeback. With the continued effort of conservationists, volunteers, and increased awareness, even more species can make their way back from the brink of extinction one day.
History the stamp represents: The golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) is an endangered songbird found in Texas, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras. It is the only species of bird that has a native breeding range in Texas. Urbanization, the timber industry, and flooding have all decreased the golden-cheeked warbler’s natural habitat areas. This is one of the main reasons for its decline over the years.
Golden-cheeked warblers are named for their bright yellow faces, which stand out against their black throats and backs. They are also known for their unusual buzzing calls. These calls are commonly heard in wooded canyons where the species breeds. Golden-cheeked warblers nest in nature stands of Ashe juniper trees or shin, live, Lacey, and post oak trees. They build their nests using Ashe juniper bark and spider webs. After the breeding season in Texas (March to June), they migrate to Mexico and South America for the rest of the year.
In May 1990, the golden-cheeked warbler was added to the endangered species list. Since then, Environmental Defense and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have worked together to rebuild and develop new habitats. The Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan has joined in with a goal of creating 41,000 acres for the golden-cheeked warbler.
U.S. #5799l
2023 Golden-cheecked Warbler – Endangered Species
- Part of the Endangered Species set celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act
- Design pictures a photograph by Joel Sartore’s famous “Photo Ark” project
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Endangered Species
Value: 63¢, First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: May 19, 2023
First Day City: Wall, South Dakota
Quantity Issued: 30,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset, Flexographic
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act and the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.
About the stamp design: Like the others in the set, the photograph on the stamp is from Joel Sartore’s famous “Photo Ark” project. They are among over 13,000 the National Geographic photographer has taken in his quest to shoot photos of as many animal species as possible.
Special design details: Stamp includes “Endangered” and the common name of the species.
First Day City: First Day of Issue Ceremony was in Wall, South Dakota, at the National Grasslands Visitor Center. The center encourages visitors to see the 20 National Grasslands and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. These habitats are home to the black-footed ferret, one of the endangered species pictured in the set of stamps.
About the Endangered Species set: The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28. The legislation “protect[s] species and the ecosystems upon which they depend,” with a goal “to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost.” The ESA is jointly administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service.
In 2023, the US Postal Service celebrated the 50th anniversary of the ESA with a set of 20 Forever stamps. The stamps were issued on Endangered Species Day, which lands on the third Friday in May. Each design pictures a different endangered species, representing only a small handful of the over 1,300 plants and animals protected under the ESA as of 2023. The images used for the stamps were part of Joel Sartore’s “Photo Ark.” Partnering with National Geographic, he set out to capture 20,000 species living in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries around the world. Together, they are determined to intimately picture each species in order to educate and bring awareness to their preservation. Sartore calls his work as a photographer a “mission to document endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving.”
Thanks to the ESA, many plant and animal species that were once endangered have made a comeback. With the continued effort of conservationists, volunteers, and increased awareness, even more species can make their way back from the brink of extinction one day.
History the stamp represents: The golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) is an endangered songbird found in Texas, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras. It is the only species of bird that has a native breeding range in Texas. Urbanization, the timber industry, and flooding have all decreased the golden-cheeked warbler’s natural habitat areas. This is one of the main reasons for its decline over the years.
Golden-cheeked warblers are named for their bright yellow faces, which stand out against their black throats and backs. They are also known for their unusual buzzing calls. These calls are commonly heard in wooded canyons where the species breeds. Golden-cheeked warblers nest in nature stands of Ashe juniper trees or shin, live, Lacey, and post oak trees. They build their nests using Ashe juniper bark and spider webs. After the breeding season in Texas (March to June), they migrate to Mexico and South America for the rest of the year.
In May 1990, the golden-cheeked warbler was added to the endangered species list. Since then, Environmental Defense and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have worked together to rebuild and develop new habitats. The Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan has joined in with a goal of creating 41,000 acres for the golden-cheeked warbler.