Give grey jay a chance, birder tells Canadians

The choice of grey jay for Canada's national bird has provoked some confused and angry responses just check Facebook butone New Brunswick birder is asking Canadians to give the little bird a chance.

"It's a captivating bird," Jim Wilson of Quispamsis said Friday, the day after the Royal Canadian Geographical Society announced the grey jay as its top choicefor national bird.

One of the strongest attributes of the grey jay, also known as the whisky jack, is that it's a truly national creature, Wilson said.

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"They are found in every province of Canada," Wilson said.

To Canadians who hoped the loon would be elevated to the national stage, Wilson said: "Loons aren't necessarily found in each province."

The loon, along with the Canada goose, was considered a top contender, but Wilson said it doesn't need the publicity. The loon is already engrainedin Canadian culture andengraved on the dollar coin.

"We've had enough of loons," he said. "We have it on our coins that's very nice. We don't have a grey jay on our coin."

The grey jay secured a place in Wilson's heart long ago, when he had the bird eating out of his hand during childhood fishing trips.

"You literally could step out, after them not seeing a human being for months and maybe with a piece of bread, or a little tidbit of some kind,and they would fly directly to your hand and eat from your hand."

Wilson said it's important to recognize and raise the profile of the grey jay, which has experienced some tough years because of habitat destruction and climate change.

"They need some attention," he said. "They need to be focused on."

New Brunswickerssorry the black-capped chickadee, the provincial bird, didn't win the contest, should be glad our bird is still ours, Wilson said.

"Do we want to give up our black-capped chickadee to the national cause? I don't think so."