Canadians vote for a national bird, and the loon is in the lead

Canada is home to more than 450 species of birds, and not one of them has ever been chosen as a national symbol. But don’t despair, amateur ornithologists: There’s a plan to change that.

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society is asking Canadians to vote online to finally choose a national bird. The society will then lobby the Canadian government to make the winged winner part of the country's sesquicentennial celebrations — that's 150 years of Canucky goodness — in 2017.

The National Bird Project was launched in the January issue of the Canadian Geographic magazine. Almost 17,000 votes have been cast so far, and the frontrunner is the common loon.

“The loon is iconic,” explains Canadian Geographic’s managing editor, Nick Walker. “I know that sounds cliché to say,  but it’s true. It truly reminds people of their childhoods near the lakes near their cottages, or camping or hiking in the wilderness. I think it’s the bird most associated with Canada’s beauty.”

The snowy owl is holding down second place, and Walker admits he's a fan of the current third place bird — even though he's supposed to be strictly neutral.

“I’m going for the gray jay," he says. "It never leaves Canada in the winter, and it actually breeds in the dead of winter, which means it’s pretty tough.”

But what about the world-famous — or infamous — Canada goose? It's in fourth place.

“The Canada goose is a polarizing bird. People either love it or they hate it,” Walker says. “It’s found across a lot of the world, which some voters are saying is a good reason to call it Canada’s national bird — simply because of the name.”

And while the Canada goose is running behind, voting is open until the end of the year. So it’s still possible that the fourth-placed bird could fly — or honk — its way to victory.

Other stories:

Margaret Atwood: Why the novel is more immersive than a film or TV show

A rising tide is raising Iceland, literally