Bird stamps from Christmas Island.

The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It has a population of 2,072 residents who live in a number of "settlement areas" on the northern tip of the island: Flying Fish Cove (also known as Kampong), Silver City, Poon Saan, and Drumsite. The majority of the population is Chinese Australian. It is called Christmas Island because it was discovered on Christmas Day.

The island’s geographic isolation and history of minimal human disturbance has led to a high level of endemism among its flora and fauna, which is of significant interest to scientists and naturalists. 63% of its 135 square kilometres (52 sq mi) is an Australian national park. There exist large areas of primary monsoonal forest.

Phosphate, deposited originally as guano, has been mined on the island for many years.
Flora

The dense rainforest has evolved in the deep soils of the plateau and on the terraces. The forests are dominated by 25 tree species. Ferns, orchids and vines grow on the branches in the humid atmosphere beneath the canopy. The 135 plant species include at least eighteen which are found nowhere else.
Christmas Island’s endemic plants include the trees Arenga listeri, Pandanus elatus and Dendrocnide peltata var. murrayana; the shrubs Abutilon listeri, Colubrina pedunculata, Grewia insularis and Pandanus christmatensis; the vines Hoya aldrichii and Zehneria alba; the herbs Asystasia alba, Dicliptera maclearii and Peperomia rossii; the grass Ischaemum nativitatis; the fern Asplenium listeri; and the orchids Brachypeza archytas, Flickingeria nativitatis, Phreatia listeri and Zeuxine exilis.

Fauna
Two species of native rats, the Maclear's and Bulldog Rat, have become extinct since the island was settled. The endemic shrew has not been seen since the mid 1980s and may be already extinct, and the Christmas Island Pipistrelle, a small bat, is critically endangered and possibly also extinct.

The annual red crab mass migration (around 100 million animals) to the sea to spawn has been called one of the wonders of the natural world and takes place each year around November; after the start of the wet season and in synchronisation with the cycle of the moon.

The land crabs and sea birds are the most noticeable animals on the island. Twenty terrestrial and intertidal species of crab (of which thirteen are regarded as true land crabs, only dependent on the ocean for larval development) have been described. Robber crabs, known elsewhere as coconut crabs, also exist in large numbers on the island.

Christmas Island is a focal point for sea birds of various species. Eight species or subspecies of sea birds nest on the island. The most numerous is the Red-footed Booby that nests in colonies, in trees, on many parts of the shore terrace. The widespread Brown Booby nests on the ground near the edge of the seacliff and inland cliffs. Abbott's Booby (listed as endangered) nests on tall emergent trees of the western, northern and southern plateau rainforest.

The Christmas Island forest is the only nesting habitat of the Abbott's Booby left in the world. The endemic Christmas Frigatebird (listed as endangered) has nesting areas on the north-eastern shore terraces and the more widespread Great Frigatebirds nest in semi-deciduous trees on the shore terrace with the greatest concentrations being in the North West and South Point areas. The Common Noddy and two species of bosuns or tropicbirds, with their brilliant gold or silver plumage and distinctive streamer tail feathers, also nest on the island.

Of the ten native land birds and shorebirds, seven are endemic species or subspecies. This includes the Christmas Thrush, and the Christmas Imperial Pigeon. Some 86 migrant bird species have been recorded as visitors to the Island.

Christmas Island has been identified by BirdLife International as both an Endemic Bird Area and Important Bird Area because it supports five endemic species and five subspecies as well as over 1% of the world populations of five other seabirds.

Flora.
The dense rainforest has evolved in the deep soils of the plateau and on the terraces. The forests are dominated by 25 tree species. Ferns, orchids and vines grow on the branches in the humid atmosphere beneath the canopy. The 135 plant species include at least eighteen which are found nowhere else.
Christmas Island’s endemic plants include the trees Arenga listeri, Pandanus elatus and Dendrocnide peltata var. murrayana; the shrubs Abutilon listeri, Colubrina pedunculata, Grewia insularis and Pandanus christmatensis; the vines Hoya aldrichii and Zehneria alba; the herbs Asystasia alba, Dicliptera maclearii and Peperomia rossii; the grass Ischaemum nativitatis; the fern Asplenium listeri; and the orchids Brachypeza archytas, Flickingeria nativitatis, Phreatia listeri and Zeuxine exilis.

 

Face value | Family number | English name | Scientific name

1963.01
  28.08.1963
  Definitives

50c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1$
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

1977.01
  20.10.1977
  Christmas
  12v sheet, no wmk

10c
    11
    Rock Partridge    Alectoris graeca

10c
    70
    European Turtle Dove    Streptopelia turtur

10c
    17
    Black-browed Albatross    Thalassarche melanophris

10c
    14
    Cape Barren Goose    Cereopsis novaehollandiae

10c
    14
    Black Swan    Cygnus atratus

1978.01
  27.01.1978
  Christmas
  12v sheet, with wmk
  1977.01

10c
    11
    Rock Partridge    Alectoris graeca

10c
    70
    European Turtle Dove    Streptopelia turtur

10c
    17
    Black-browed Albatross    Thalassarche melanophris

10c
    14
    Cape Barren Goose    Cereopsis novaehollandiae

10c
    14
    Black Swan    Cygnus atratus

1978.02
  31.05.1978
  Famous visitors, Charles William Andrews and Richard Hanitsch

45c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

50c
    70
    Christmas Imperial Pigeon    Ducula whartoni

1982.01
  08.03.1982
  Birds definitives

1c
    26
    Pacific Reef Heron    Egretta sacra

2c
    66
    Brown Noddy    Anous stolidus

25c
    23
    Red-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon rubricauda

4$
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

1982.02
  14.06.1982
  Birds definitives

3c
    85
    Glossy Swiftlet    Collocalia esculenta

4c
    70
    Christmas Imperial Pigeon    Ducula whartoni

10c
    215
    Island Thrush    Turdus poliocephalus

2$
    37
    Brown Goshawk    Accipiter fasciatus

1982.03
  23.08.1982
  Birds definitives

40c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

50c
    31
    Red-footed Booby    Sula sula

65c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

75c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

1983.01
  21.02.1983
  Birds definitives

5c
    201
    Christmas White-eye    Zosterops natalis

30c
    70
    Common Emerald Dove    Chalcophaps indica

80c
    38
    Nankeen Kestrel    Falco cenchroides

1$
    78
    Christmas Boobook    Ninox natalis

1983.02
  01.10.1983
  Australian territory
  3v set

24c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

1987.01
  24.06.1987
  Definitives

36c
    78
    Christmas Boobook    Ninox natalis

1988.01
  26.01.1988
  Arrival of first fleet
  5v strip

37c
    72
    Sulphur-crested Cockatoo    Cacatua galerita

37c
    26
    Great Egret    Ardea alba

1988.02
  01.03.1988
  Imprint 1988 on 1987.01
  16v sheet

36c
    78
    Christmas Boobook    Ninox natalis

1990.01
  06.06.1990
  WWF

10c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

20c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

29c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

1990.02
  06.06.1990
  Abbott's Booby
  Sheet

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

1990.03
  24.08.1990
  NEW ZEALAND '90
  Sheet
  1990.02

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

1990.04
  06.12.1990
  BIRDPEX '90
  Sheet
  1990.02

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

41c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

1992.01
  07.10.1992
  Christmas
  5v strip

40c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

40c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

and
    23
    Red-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon rubricauda

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

1.05$
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

and
    23
    Red-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon rubricauda

1993.01
  04.03.1993
  Seabirds
  Strip

45c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

45c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

45c
    66
    Brown Noddy    Anous stolidus

45c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

1993.02
  04.03.1993
  Seabirds
  Sheet
  1993.01

45c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

45c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

45c
    66
    Brown Noddy    Anous stolidus

45c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

1993.03
  29.05.1993
  INDOPEX '93
  Sheet
  1993.02

45c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

45c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

45c
    66
    Brown Noddy    Anous stolidus

45c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

1993.04
  14.08.1993
  TAIPEI '93
  Sheet
  1993.02

45c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

45c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

45c
    66
    Brown Noddy    Anous stolidus

45c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

1993.05
  02.09.1993
  Christmas
  3v set

1$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1996.01
  11.07.1996
  Land birds

45c
    201
    Christmas White-eye    Zosterops natalis

85c
    78
    Christmas Boobook    Ninox natalis

1997.01
  11.09.1997
  Christmas
  3v set

45c
    78
    Christmas Boobook    Ninox natalis

and
    223
    Java Sparrow    Lonchura oryzivora

and
    31
    Red-footed Booby    Sula sula

80c
    223
    Java Sparrow    Lonchura oryzivora

1998.01
  12.03.1998
  Marine life
  20v sheet

5c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

10c
    26
    Pacific Reef Heron    Egretta sacra

25c
    66
    Sooty Tern    Onychoprion fuscatus

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

1999.01
  09.09.1999
  Christmas
  3v set

45c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

and
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

and
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

95c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

2000.01
  05.09.2000
  Christmas

40c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

and
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

and
    23
    Red-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon rubricauda

40c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

and
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

and
    23
    Red-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon rubricauda

45c
    31
    Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster

and
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

and
    23
    Red-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon rubricauda

2002.01
  01.05.2002
  WWF

45c
    70
    Christmas Imperial Pigeon    Ducula whartoni

45c
    78
    Christmas Boobook    Ninox natalis

1$
    37
    Brown Goshawk    Accipiter fasciatus

1.50$
    215
    Island Thrush    Turdus poliocephalus

2008.01
  10.06.2008
  50 years as an Australian Territory
  5v set

50c
    31
    Abbott's Booby    Papasula abbotti

2010.01
  17.08.2010
  WWF

60c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

60c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1.80$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1.80$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

2010.02
  17.08.2010
  WWF
  Sheet
  2010.01

60c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

60c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1.80$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1.80$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

2010.03
  01.11.2010
  Christmas

60c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

1.30$
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

2010.04
  01.11.2010
  Christmas
  5x1.30$ booklet, sa
  2010.03

1.30$
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

2010.05
  01.11.2010
  Christmas
  10x60c booklet, sa
  2010.03

60c
    23
    White-tailed Tropicbird    Phaethon lepturus

2012.01
  01.11.2012
  Christmas

55c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1.60$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

2012.02
  01.11.2012
  Christmas
  Sheet
  2012.01

55c
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

1.60$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

2012.03
  01.11.2012
  Christmas
  5x1.60$ booklet, sa
  2012.01

1.60$
    30
    Christmas Frigatebird    Fregata andrewsi

 

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