Our National Bird: The Gray Jay!

As the congregate country of Canada, we have voted in a nationwide poll for our national bird just in time for our 150th birthday. After 50,000 ballots were cast, say hello to our country's favorite: the gray jay! This tiny little bird, also known as the whiskey jack, can withstand temperatures lower than -30 C. It survives and incubates its eggs throughout harsh winters and is present in every province and territory in Canada. 

Small, gray, smart, and friendly

A companion to Indigenous Peoples, the gray jay is both friendly, intelligent, and strong. This tiny bird has the same brain-to-body ratio as dolphins and chimps, which says a whole lot about its wits. There was even a formal debate with ornithologists that took place about which bird should represent our country. The Canadian Goose, black-capped chickadee, snowy owl, and the common loon were runners-up to the whiskey jack. The Canadian Goose's loss will not go in vain, as it has always been a part of our national identity. With a bird so Canadian that it presides in its name, the Canadian goose is a northern bird that is both smart and strong, reflecting Canada's attributes of a northern country. 

The common loon, or what we call the loonie, is already Ontario's provincial bird and resides on our dollar coin. Despite this, it fell short in votes behind the gray jay underdog. However, the president of Bird Studies Canada, Steven Price, believes that the loonie should be named the people's bird of Canada due to its overwhelming support.

Currently, the only animals with official status as Canada's national representatives are the beaver and Canadian horse. But pretty soon, we will see this cute and tiny gray bird alongside those three animals as a representative of us as a people and as a country. 

Image courtesy of Gary Fairhead