I know what you’re thinking – Yer daft, McDowell. There is no Canada Jay! But there was, once upon a time, before 
the bird’s official English name became more commonly used. Gray Jay is an accurate, though rather bland, name for the curious and cheeky corvid. My vote is for the Gray Jay to become Canada’s official national bird – and we then resurrect the name Canada Jay.
Voting? you ask. National bird? Canadian Geographic Magazine has launched a National Bird Project with the goal of recommending a species to be designated our official bird. We don’t have one. Belize has the toucan, France has the rooster, Guatemala has the Resplendent quetzal, and no fewer than six countries claim the Golden eagle. We need a national bird to complete our Canadian identity! Once voting is complete, the National Bird Project will lobby the federal government to adopt an official bird by 2017, Canada’s sesquicentennial. That’s our 150th birthday – I checked.
What bird would you choose? Head over to the National Bird Project and vote. Right now, the Common loon is leading the race (bah, how common), but the Gray Jay (remember, Canada Jay) is catching up! You can follow the discussion on twitter at #CanadaBird
