This year, 2022 will be the 50th anniversary of Singapore and Bangladesh's diplomatic relations. Over the years, the bilateral relations of both countries have continued to grow in strength and prosper in a meaningful manner. To commemorate this significant milestone, the Singapore-Bangladesh Joint Stamp Issue is released. Featured in this joint stamp issue are two song birds - Zebra Dove and Oriental Magpie-robin.

Zebra Dove The Zebra Dove also known as the barred ground dove, or barred dove, is a species of bird of the dove family, Columbidae, native to Southeast Asia. They are small and slender birds with a long, narrow tail. Their upperparts are brownish-grey with black-and-white barring while the underparts are pinkish with black bars on the sides of the neck, breast and belly. There are white tips to their tail feathers as well. The face of zebra dove is blue-grey with bare blue skin around the eyes. Zebra Doves are also known for their pleasant, soft, staccato cooing calls.

The native range of the species extends from Southern Thailand, Tenasserim, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok. It may also be native in the Philippines. Their diet consists mainly of small seeds, with a small quantity of insects. They prefer to forage on bare ground, in short grass, or on roads. They forage alone or in pairs and their coloration camouflages them wonderfully against the ground.

Oriental Magpie-robin The Oriental Magpie-robin is a small passerine bird. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long tail that is held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously. Males sport black-and-white plumage while the females are grayish brown and white. Juveniles resemble females, but have a scaly head and upperparts. They have a good repertoire of melodious calls and are known to imitate other bird calls. The most commonly heard call is a whistle given at dawn.

Occurring across most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, the Oriental Magpie-robins are common birds often seen in cultivated areas, open woodlands, urban gardens as well as forests. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cagebirds. The Oriental Magpie-robin is considered the national bird of Bangladesh.