header Notes Collection

1 Riyal 2008, Qatar

in Krause book Number: 28
Years of issue: 15.08.2008
Signatures: Governor: Abdullah Saud Al-Thani, Minister of Finance: Yousef Hussein Kamal
Serie: 2008 Issue
Specimen of: 15.08.2008
Material: Cotton fiber
Size (mm): 134 x 66
Printer: De la Rue currency,Loughton



1 Riyal 2008




Denomination and falcon.

falcon falcon


There is an opinion, that the national bird of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar is not the Saker, but its hunting hybrid with Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus). However - The first successful results of obtaining a hybrid of gyrfalcon and saker were obtained in the early 1970s in Ireland, that is, when the national bird of the UAE was already identified and there were already circulating banknotes with the image of Saker Falcon. Today - indeed, this hybrid is popular in falconry in many countries, including the OAE and Qatar.




1 Riyal 2008


On right and left sides, on the top, are the coat of arms of Qatar.

The emblem of Qatar (Arabic: شعار قطر‎) is the coat of arms of Qatar.

The emblem shows two crossed white curved swords in a yellow circle. Between the swords there is a sailing ship (dhow) sailing on blue and white waves beside an island with two palm trees. The circle is surrounded by a round doughnut-shaped object, which is divided horizontally, between the two colours of the flag. In the white section, the name of the state of Qatar is written in black, while in the maroon section, the country’s official name is written in white of Qatar.

Across the field of banknotes, on top, is a pattern in the Islamic style, and a column with arches. Where is this column and pattern located, in Qatar, I did not found yet.


1 Riyal 2008

3 birds commonly found in Qatar:

Galerida cristata

On left side is The crested lark (Galerida cristata). It is a species of lark distinguished from the other 81 species of lark by the crest of feathers that rise up in territorial or courtship displays and when singing. Common to mainland Europe, the birds can also be found in northern Africa and in parts of western Asia and China.

A fairly small lark, the crested lark is roughly the same size as a Eurasian skylark, but shorter overall and bulkier around the head and body, and very similar in appearance, with a height of 17 cm. (6.7 in.) and a wingspan of 29 to 38 cm. (11 to 15 in.), weighing between 37 and 55 g. (1.3 and 1.9 oz.). It is a small, brown bird which has a short tail with light brown outer feathers. Male and females have no real differences, but young crested larks have more spots on their back than their older counterparts. Its plumage is downy but sparse and appears whitish. The distinct crest from which the crested lark gets its name is conspicuous at all times but is more pronounced during territorial or courtship displays and when singing. In flight it shows reddish underwings. It shares many characteristics with the Thekla lark, with the main distinctions between the two being the beak, the Thekla's heavier black-brown streaks and its grey underwing, present in European specimens.

Merops apiaster

In the middle is The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster). It is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. It breeds in southern Europe and in parts of north Africa and western Asia. It is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa. This species occurs as a spring overshoot north of its range, with occasional breeding in northwest Europe.

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. It has brown and yellow upper parts, whilst the wings are green and the beak is black. It can reach a length of 27-29 cm. (10.6-11.4 in.), including the two elongated central tail feathers. Sexes are alike. Female tends to have greener rather than gold feathers on shoulders. Non-breeding plumage is much duller and with a blue-green back and no elongated central tail feathers. Juvenile resembles a non-breeding adult, but with less variation in the feather colours. Adults begin to moult in June or July and complete the process by August or September. There is a further moult into breeding plumage in winter in Africa.

Charadrius mongolus

On right side is The lesser sand plover (Charadrius mongolus). It is a small wader in the plover family of birds. The spelling is commonly given as lesser sand-plover, but the official British Ornithologists' Union spelling is "lesser sand plover". The genus name Charadrius is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek kharadrios a bird found in ravines and river valleys (kharadra, "ravine"). The specific mongolus is Latin and refers to Mongolia which at the time of naming referred to a larger area than the present country.

This chunky plover is long-legged and long-billed. Breeding males have grey backs and white underparts. The breast, forehead and nape are chestnut, and there is a black eye mask. The female is duller, and winter and juvenile birds lack the chestnut, apart from a hint of rufous on the head. Legs are dark and the bill black.

In all plumages, this species is very similar to the greater sand plover, Charadrius leschenaultii. Separating the species may be straightforward in mixed wintering flocks on an Indian beach, where the difference in size and structure is obvious; it is more difficult to identify a lone vagrant to western Europe, where both species are very rare. The problem is compounded in that the Middle Eastern race of greater sand plover is the most similar to the lesser. The lesser usually has darker legs, a white forehead, and a more even white wing bar than the greater.