2021 Brush Rabbit stamp

2021 Brush Rabbit

Stamp Category: Definitive
Value: 20¢ Additional Ounce Rate
First Day of Issue: January 24, 2021
First Day City: Sacramento, California
Printing Method: Offset, Microprint
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag

History the stamp represents: In 2021, the USPS issued a new non-denominated additional-ounce stamp. It was printed in two formats – a pane of 20 and coil of 100 – and pictured a brush rabbit. The stamp design featured existing artwork by designer and illustrator Dugald Stermer. Stermer was well known for his pencil and watercolor techniques, and was fond of painting flora and fauna.

The brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) is a relatively small species of cottontail rabbit. It lives on the West Coast of North America, ranging from Oregon to Mexico. These rabbits range from 12 to 14.5 inches long and weigh 18 to 32 ounces. They are dark gray with a pale gray underbelly and tail, and have black whiskers.

Brush rabbits were named after the dense vegetation in which they make their homes. These brush piles or clumps of brambles disguise a complex network of trails the rabbits use to get around. While many rabbit species dig their own burrows, brush rabbits do not. Hey sometimes use burrows dug by other animals, but often do not use burrows at all.

Many rabbit species are hunted for their meat or fur. Brush rabbits, on the other hand, are usually left alone due to their small size. Today, their numbers are holding steady and they are a species of least concern.