Step aside, loon: Geographic society plucks gray jay as Canada's national bird

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society has hatched its decision for the bird best suited to represent Canada after a two-year search and 50,000 votes from across the country.
The gray jay, also known as the whiskey jack, was awarded the society’s official recommendation for Canada’s national bird on Wednesday.
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[@petertitan2186]

Good choice ive worked from east coast to west coast in the bush and this bird is always there.even -30 very friendly I feed them even from my hand all the time.

[@FridayNightFilmsCA]

I'm for team Canada Jay! The Gray Jay (old name before it was standardized by international organizations was the Canada Jay) is the perfect candidate for National Bird. It's found across the federation, doesn't leave in the winter, can some times be predatory but is mostly know for it's incredibly intelligence, curiosity and friendliness. It often greats those in the deep woods and has been called the hunters companion for it will come up to you when in the deep woods and will not be afraid to land on you and say hi. This greeting to the boreal woods that makes up so much of Canada I think is pretty fitting for a national bird. Picking the provincial birds of Quebec or Ontario would have been a mistake. We, due to our colonial roots, need to be creating more Canadian symbols, not recycling old ones. If no one knows this bird because they've never been in the deep boreal forests that make up this country then does that not make it a good symbol, to educate more Canadian's about the Canada!

[@ebbderelict]

I agree. I'm perfectly fine with the choice. Everything the expert said, every point you brought up, and as far as looks go, I think it's a very handsome bird.

[@couturebirds4425]

Totally forgetable. More Canadians will be able to name the US national bird instead of ours. FAIL

[@minecape]

FridayNightFilmsCA I agree 100%

[@jrfreki674]

how about we wait 200 years and find out.

[@jaesungkim5478]

What a name. Dr. Bird

[@joannekramirez]

When you live by yourself in the bush you have the best friend in the world from Ber

[@joannekramirez]

Bert

[@theothercrypt]

I questioned it for about a day after the announcement (loons are one of my favourite birds), but i read a few other articles and arguments, and now I honestly don't think there is a better fit out there. This little Whiskey Jack is literally Canada with wings. Incredibly adaptable, immensely friendly, impressively hardy. And yet Canadians are taking on such vanity as to base their opinions off of looks alone? Shallow. Loons are definitely a very Canadian symbol, but they are more the symbol of the great lakes than anything else, thats why they are the provincial bird of Ontario. So few people have ever even seen a wild Snowy Owl, the ONLY reason people are rooting for it is becasue of its looks, because its "big and majestic". Seriously? We aren't the US here... We aren't choosing our bird simply to prove a point and to try and out-pretty and intimidate non-Canadians. We're choosing a bird that represents every part of what a Canadian is. A Grey Jay is it. It's common (and it should be for a national icon), its familiar, it's comforting. It's in every province and it never leaves. It's ours and ours alone. How can people just overlook something like that? Plus it's just friggin cute.

[@TheNewGreenIsBlue]

The only reason the Loon and the Snowy Owl even made the shortlist is due to being provincial symbols. Ontarionites and Quebeckons obviously would like to spread their influence. The Whiskeyjack is also the only bird in Canada to be transliterated from an aboriginal name. Oh, and the Grey/Gray Jay is such a boring name.

[@mcaddicts]

TheNewGreenIsBlue The loon is on our currency its the most iconic Canadian bird.

[@fristname1lastname148]

Stupid choice. I'd be happier with a seagull. #SHITHAWK