Obeliai

History

The arms of the town were granted on August 8, 1993. Obeliai was first mentioned in the 16th century and received city rights in 1957. The town did not use any arms until the above arms were designed in 1993. The blue bend symbolises the Kriauna River, the silver field, the Lake Obeliai. The three apple blossoms on the bend are canting (sloping), "obelis" meaning apple tree. Apples used to be a major export of Obeliai, with many orchards surrounding the town. This industry is all but gone now. In August 1941, all the Jewish residents of Obeliai and the surrounding villages were taken into the Antanašė Forest by the Nazis, made to dig a long trench and then shot and buried. The Jäger Report stated that on August 25, 1941, a total of 1,160 Jews, consisting of 112 men, 627 women, and 421 children were killed.

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  41
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  36
• Yellowhammer

  Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  30
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  28
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  28
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  28
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  27
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  25