Canadian Geographic want readers to help select a national bird

Leading the pack so far, the Common loon

Canadian Geographic magazine is asking its readers to help select the country's national bird. The National Bird Project was created to rectify the fact that there is no national bird, although there is a national tree (the maple), a national horse (the Canadian), two national sports (lacrosse and hockey) and a national animal (the beaver). A selection of 40 candidates are provided on a special click-on web page to be voted on to be designated the official bird by 2017, Canada's sesquicentennial. Readers can nominate their own bird.

Based on more than 10,000 online votes cast so far. the top 5 birds are 

• the Common Loon (2915 votes)
• the Snowy Owl (2203)
• the Gray Jay (1107)
• Canada Goose (951) and
•  the Black-Capped Chickadee (706)