Your Last Chance to Vote for Canada's National Bird!

June 29, 2016 14:28 ET

OTTAWA, ON --(Marketwired - June 29, 2016) - Time is running out for Canadians to select a national bird in time for Canada's 150th birthday in 2017. Canadian Geographic is calling on all Canadians to cast their vote for the bird they feel symbolizes our great country by theAugust 31st, 2016 deadline.

Canada has a national arboreal emblem, a national horse, two national sports and an animal that has come to be associated with the country. And yet after nearly 150 years, Canada has never identified a national bird. Now is the time for the beaver to have an avian partner.

"The National Bird Project has garnered a huge amount of interaction with Canadians since it launched in January 2015," says Aaron Kylie, Editor of Canadian Geographic. "We're eager to see the campaign finally recognize a national bird. That was the goal all along. And this November, just in time for the country's 150th anniversary celebrations, Canadian Geographic will announce the winner."

Canadians have the summer to ponder on which bird species should be chosen to symbolize the aspirations of our country. Voting is easy. Just visit the National Bird Project website atnationalbird.canadiangeographic.ca. To help Canadians make an informed decision, the website sports profiles for each of Canada's 40 favourite birds with information on each bird's habitat, as well as range maps that show year‐round habitat, breeding habitat, migration ranges and wintering habitat.

To date, over 35,000 Canadians from coast to coast to coast have voted. The top five leading contenders in order of popularity are the common loon, the snowy owl, the gray jay or whiskey jack, the Canada goose, and finally, the black-capped chickadee.

Read on ...

Britain's national bird: Red kite, puffin or robin? Voting opens to decide

TOM BAWDEN

ENVIRONMENT EDITOR 

Monday 16 March 2015

America has the bald eagle, France the Gallic rooster and India the peacock – but when it comes to national birds, Britain is notably lacking.

That looks set to change, however, thanks to a campaign devised by a leading ornithologist. David Lindo, the broadcaster also known as “The Urban Birder”, is asking Britons to pick their favourite bird from a shortlist of 10 – including red kites, kingfishers and, of course, robin redbreasts.

Members of the public have until general election day on 7 May to choose which British bird they would like to see represent the country, with barn owls, blue tits, wrens and blackbirds also in the running.

Mr Lindon says he will pass on the result of the vote to the Queen and the new Prime Minister – and lobby them to instate the winner as the UK’s national bird.

“I feel embarrassed as someone who lives in the United Kingdom that we don’t have a national bird. The US has had one since 1776, while places like Sweden, Latvia, Bhutan, Jamaica, Mexico all have one and we haven’t. We’re supposed to be the national leaders when it comes to being animal lovers. It’s high time we put our money where our mouths are,” he said.

Continued ...