The House Sparrow as Belarus Bird 2003.

On March 31, 2003 Belarus Post issued the stamp from the series "A bird of the year" dedicated to the house sparrow. The stamp is issued under the aegis of the International organization of birds protection "Bird Life International" and Belarus organization "Protection Homeland Birds ".

The quantity of house sparrows is diminishing in Europe. And it has become less in Belarus too. That is why Belarus organization "Protection Homeland Birds" declared the house sparrow as the bird of the year of 2003.

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a species of passerine bird of the sparrow family Passeridae. It occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia. It has also been intentionally or accidentally introduced to many parts of the world, making it the most widely distributed wild bird. It is strongly associated with human habitations, but it is not the only sparrow species found near houses. It is a small bird, with feathers mostly different shades of brown and grey.

The House Sparrow is a chunky bird typically about 16 centimetres  long, ranging from 14–18 centimetres. It has a large rounded head, a short tail, and a stout bill.In weight, the House Sparrow generally ranges from 24–39.5 grams.The plumage of the House Sparrow is mostly different shades of grey and brown. The sexes differ, with females and juveniles mostly buff, and the male marked with bold colours.

The House Sparrow is a very social bird. It is gregarious at all seasons when feeding, often forming flocks with other types of bird. It also roosts communally, its nests are usually grouped together in clumps, and it engages in a number of social activities, such as dust and water bathing, and "social singing", in which birds call together in bushes.the House Sparrow mostly feeds on the seeds of cereals and weeds.

The House Sparrow's nesting sites are varied, but it prefers the shelter of a hole. Nests are most frequently built in the eaves and other crevices of houses. Holes in cliffs and banks, or in tree cavities are also used.

The House Sparrow has an extremely large range and population, and is not seriously threatened by human activities, so it is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Special postmark and FDC designed by A. Mityanin. A special cancellation on FDCs have carried out at the Main Post Office of Minsk on the stamp issuing day.