The stamp project is illustrator David Allen Sibley’s first for the U.S. Postal Service. “David Allen Sibley was my first and only choice,” says Noyes. “He has written and illustrated numerous field guides over the years, knows birds inside and out, and the illustrations in his most recent book are stunning. He was a perfect fit!”

“While the bald eagle is known to virtually all Americans as our national bird, few people know much about them,” says Sibley. “Showing the series of life stages in these stamps is a simple and visual way to emphasize that the familiar adult eagle has already lived for at least four years — through a series of transitional plumages, finding food, migrating, and surviving all of life's challenges. I hope these stamps spark curiosity and a greater appreciation for the lives of eagles.”