National & Provincial Birds

Canada's unofficial National Bird

Some reasons why it was selected:

found in all thirteen provinces and territories; it is only barely found in the U.S., in the Rocky Mt. region and Alaska;
stays in Canada year-round, unlike the Canada goose, which migrates to California like so many of Canada's celebrities.
member of the corvid family, arguably the smartest birds on the planet;
extremely friendly toward humans like all Canadians, often found panhandling on trails;
very hardy like all Canadians, having highly adapted itself to living in very cold regions; even thrives in temperatures as cold as -30C.

Canada Jay: aka Gray Jay, aka Whiskey Jack

Although Canada has no official bird, the Canada goose has long been a part of the national identity. So too has the common loon, which appears on our dollar coin, affectionately dubbed the "loonie".

Canadians flocked to vote when the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) began its search for a national bird in 2015. After 50,000 ballots were cast online, the finalists were whittled down to just five contenders: the Canada goose, the common loon, the gray jay, the black-capped chickadee and the snowy owl. In true parliamentary fashion, a panel debate featuring five ornithologists, each assigned to represent one of the birds, followed. But after a two-year search, the diminutive gray jay soared above its more famous feathered friends. In the end, Canadians' enthusiasm for an underdog (or underbird) won out, and the gray jay knocked its rivals off their perch.

The bird doesn't hold official status, at least not yet. According to the federal government, the beaver and the Canadian horse are the only animals holding the status of Canada's official symbols.

While the gray jay may not be officially recognized as Canada's national bird, it has had its name changed to reflect its regional significance. Up until the late 1950s, the bird had been known as the Canada jay, but in 1957 it was renamed the gray jay by the American Ornithologists' Union. In 2018, however, the name Canada jay was restored. The bird's scientific name, Perisoreus canadensis, remains unchanged.

List of Official Canadian Provincial Birds

Though Canada may not yet have a national bird symbol for the entire country, each province does have an official, confirmed feathered ambassador. These provincial birds are often celebrated in local festivals or used as symbols on provincial flags, seals, logos, or other official symbols. They are also popular mascots for schools, teams, and businesses within each province and they are widely recognized and admired in their honorary capacities.