Tweet it out! Calgary names official bird
After heated debate, the people of Calgary have spoken and officially named the black-capped chickadee as the city’s official bird.
A total of 36,677 Calgarians casted their ballots with the chickadee taking in 44 per cent of the vote amongst a choice of five birds selected through consultation with Indigenous groups and nature organizations.
The official results are as follows:
- Black-capped chickadee – 16,114 votes (44 per cent);
- Black-billed magpie – 8,933 (24 per cent);
- Northern flicker – 6,076 (17 per cent);
- Blue jay – 2,938 (Eight per cent); and
- Red-breasted nuthatch – 2,616 (Seven per cent).
“It was a fiercely contested contest,” said Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner, who brought forward the notice of motion in mid-March to designate an official bird.
“There were a lot of people who said magpies were the bird that we truly deserve and the chickadee is the bird we aspire to, but being able to advocate for all bird species in Calgary is really important.”
Calgary was named a bird-friendly city by Nature Canada and one of the requirements to maintain the honour is to determine a top bird.
Coun. Corrine Eagletail-Frazier of the Tsuut’ina First Nation said it was an honour to be included in the project because of the significance birds have for Indigenous groups across the country.
“We really honour the birds, it’s like the messages and signs, the energy that they provide, because when they’re happy and singing we know things are good and life is good,” she said.
“It’s just a sign that something is not right when they’re not there so it’s important to protect them.”
Saturday’s announcement of Calgary’s official bird also coincides with World Migratory Bird Day with this year’s theme focussed on preventing light pollution.
Dylann Golbeck, a research coordinator and naturalist with the Weaselhead Glenmore Park Preservation Society, says light pollution is greatly affecting the migration patterns of birds and making them confused.
“With migratory birds, for example, it pulls them off of their migratory path, they'll often migrate at night. They'll keep flying around in circles, kind of confused and a lot of those birds, songbirds, for example, will start calling out and then more birds will come,” she said.
“And because we'll hear those birds calling out, then you end up with a whole mass of birds caught in this light and then getting exhausted. Because they're drawn into cities, they're not ending up at high food rich places so it ends up being really dangerous for them.”
Golbeck says her focus now is to educate Calgarians on the importance of reducing their light pollution where possible by shutting off lights when not using them or dimming lights.
Other solutions include using redshifted or warmer coloured lights.
“This is because it doesn't have the broad spectrum radiation coming off of it and the higher end of the whites and blues are more similar to the radiation that you would get coming off the sun so that more triggers a birds response to the sun.”
Chair of the Bird Friendly Calgary Team John McFaul adds that the protection of bird species has become especially crucial over the years.
“Research has shown that the number of birds in North America has dropped by about 3 billion birds through a time period of 50 years,” he said.
“So we are concerned about different things going on in our environment, everyone is concerned about climate change but the loss of biodiversity is really important. They’re like the canaries in the coal mine and if birds are doing well, our environment is probably doing well.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
'Nobody should be getting away with murder': Grieving mother speaks out after son killed in North Preston, N.S.
A grieving mother is speaking out after her 36-year-old son was shot and killed in North Preston, N.S., Wednesday night.