Rtas' main collection

I always lived in places with loads of gulls and despite of it, I never liked the Schleich figure. I've seen it often in local shops but I never felt tempted to get it. I know however, that the painting is very different according with the country they are made. I believe yours is the made in China version? I also don't have the other two figures, my puffin is from Papo, too large for you and the Bullyland horned puffin I like the CollectA albatross, those are huge birds and I am glad some brands decided to include albatrosses in their ranges. Maybe if I find something for you, we can trade it. Papo albatross is quite small as you know and if ever Schleich releases one, it will never be smaller than Papo's.

Actually, I would really like one a bit larger than Papo's. I will probably get Papo's as a black-browed albatross once the shops open again but I would like a larger wandering one. Do you know what size is the Safari version ?

Papo albatross would be the only current albatross figure that maybe some day I include in my collection

You'll have to hurry if you want it, it's retiring this year!

RtasVadumee wrote:

Actually, I would really like one a bit larger than Papo's. I will probably get Papo's as a black-browed albatross once the shops open again but I would like a larger wandering one. Do you know what size is the Safari version ?

Measurements provided are 7 inches x 2,5 inches = 17,5 cm x 6,2 cm, apparently smaller than CollectA's but not much.

Thanks for the info! When the quarantine ends I must buy it

Not as high as CollectA's and probably less bulky, it might work for me but I am not sure at all.

Pardofelis wrote:

Thanks for the info! When the quarantine ends I must buy it

Me too, it is still available in my usual shop I think.

IV Birds and reptiles

B) Birds

3) Pelicans

Species : Great white pelican
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14752 Pelican (2016-2019)
- Schleich 14142 Pelican (1998-1999)
- Schleich 14673 Pelican (2012-2016)

Fun facts :
- The old 14142 pelican is still my favourite today and I think it was one of the best looking bird figures of the late 90's. That's why I did not move it to my vintage collection.
- I did not realise it had been available only one year before doing this thread. It is surely quite a rare figure today !
- The 14752 pelican is always being catched by my Nile crocodile in my African diorama with the Schleich waterhole.
- I have the 14142 pelican from my childhood, found the 14673 retired one during one of my treasure hunts and bought the 14752 in my favourite Schleich shop.
- I have seen great white pelicans in zoos and even an escaped individual in the wild !

I like the second pelican most, although that poor blue fish is a bit disturbing. He reminds me a lot of Petros the first, that wonderful friendly pelican of Mykonos that I was lucky enough to meet as a kid and everybody on the island really adored him. He died in 1985 at the age of 33 in a car accident. Now Mykonos has (at least) 3 pelicans, Irene (a gift from Jackie Kennedy), Petros the 2nd (a gift from Hamburg zoo) and Nikolas (that was rescued just as Petros the first).

My father was lucky enough to meet Petros the first too, when he was a young man and travelled to Greece !

so, he might have a nice story to tell. Such a famous bird!

Lovely pelicans Benjamin, I also really like the retired Schleich figure with his pleasantly charming pose. My favourite pelican figure goes to the Lineol 721 figure, it's very beautiful even if he's older than we are combined!

Regarding pelicans I have to applaud Schleich. Contrarily to many other models, these 3 different generations are really decent and they show completely different poses. It turns the collecting hobby much more interesting. The only complaint is that they all represent the same species. Schleich made a brown pelican in the past but it was not a brown pelican but a brown great white pelican once it used the same moulds as the old pelican. The result is a poor representative but it is a beautiful piece and a very rare and pricey collectible.
I have two of these you're showing but not the angry bird, I swallowed it when I was in my water hole, it was an irritating guy!
Besides a few vintage ones, I also have the pair of Safari figures that use the same mould, one is a brown pelican while the other is a American white pelican. still one of the Bullyland and the Science and Nature Australian pelican (all smaller ).

I just have the old Schleich one..

Roger, indeed, the Schleich brown pelican is very rare and very expensive nowadays, it is always more than 50€ on ebay !
Those three different poses are very interesting when displayed in dioramas, they all look really great around my Schleich water hole.
Don't hesitate to show the figures you are talking about... if they are not on holidays

Alain, it is the most charming one and the two others can still be found quite easily if you want to add them to your collection.

He may be a pink pelican but a beauty nevertheless: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It is indeed very nice for such an old figure !

Nice birds!
I remember a thread on this forum where some people discussed that the Safari Albatros could also be used as another species...

I have the two black swans for you Ben, Papo on the left and Safari on the right: [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Thanks Adam, the Safari one is better painted but I prefer Papo's pose.

Very nice pelicans. My choices for my collection are also two of these models (without the older one) :)

IV Birds and reptiles

B) Birds

4) Waders

Species : Chilean flamingo, white stork, marabou stork, shoebill
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14758 Flamingo (2016-2018)
- Schleich 13119 Stork (1996-2002)
- Papo 50170 Marabou Stork (2016-2020)
- CollectA 88763 Shoebill (2016-still in production)

Fun facts :
- I just noticed that my flamingos are identified as Chilean flamingos on TAI. Since this figure is classified among African animals on TAI and it is part of the Schleich African waterhole, I was sure it represented a greater flamingo.
- The 13119 stork from the 90s is my favourite stork figure ever, that's why I never replaced it by a more recent one. I think mine is very well painted, even though it is now a bit damaged.
- My marabou stork has no problem to stand
- My shoebill may be a bit too large but seriously, who can resist a shoebill ?! I discovered this species in a birdwatching magazine as a child and have always been fascinated by it since. I do not regret having it in my collection at all, that's a gorgeous model.
- I have the white stork from my childhood. I bought one flamingo in my favourite Schleich shop and got the second one included in the Schleich waterhole set. I bought the marabou in a local shop and ordered the shoebill online.
- I have seen white storks in the wild. I have seen flamingos and marabou storks in zoos but I have unfortunately never seen a shoebill. I hope I'll go to Pairi Daiza, in Belgium, one day to see them.

Update :
- Safari 224829 Spoonbill (2016-2019) was added to the collection. For further information, please check the addition topics.
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Very nice. I doubt if include the Papo marabou in my collection or not. It's a bit in the limit. By one hand, is just a marabou, it have thick legs and it have a base. But by other hand, it's perfect sizewise and it's very well done and magnificent.

I think the flamingo is not intended to be an exact match of species. Colours resemble maybe a bit more Chilean than others and maybe this is the reason why it's considered as such on TAI. But the diagnostic shape of the black tip of the bill is intermediate between Greater and Chilean. I also would put it as Greater if know that it's intended to be an African animal.

While I never saw pelicans in the wild nor many others of your deightful observations, I've seen shoebills at two zoos and flamingos in the wild