There are more than 450 species of birds across Canada, but not one of them has been designated as our national bird — a title that for too long hasn’t been made official. It’s time to change that.
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society along with Canadian Geographic are asking Canadians to vote for the bird you think most defines Canada. The goal is to designate an official bird for Canada by 2017, the country’s sesquicentennial.
Top 5 birds by votes (as of April 10th)
Common loon – 7703
Snowy owl – 5853
Gray jay / Whiskey jack – 5360
Canada goose – 2313
Black-capped chickadee – 2017
Total votes: 29,711
Read some compelling essays by fellow Canadians (you can write your own essay in defense of your favourite feathered Canadian) and then cast your vote: