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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01CAEDD4.97D32F90 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Red-tailed hawk soaring above competitors in search for Canada's national bird PAT HEWITT, Metro News May 06, 2010 TORONTO - Canada's quest for a national bird appears to be taking flight. With a Maple Leaf adorning the flag, a beaver on the nickel and lacrosse and ice hockey as national sports, Canada seems well-endowed with national symbols. But as the country's 143rd birthday nears, there is no national bird. Hope may be on the horizon, however, as the Canadian Raptor Conservancy has collected a few thousand signatures on its online petition asking the government to take the bird issue in hand. The survey asks Canadians to suggest a bird and explain why it's a good pick. Six weeks into its campaign, the conservancy has received about 20 suggestions, with the red-tailed hawk soaring high above the flock with 85 per cent of the vote so far. Conservancy director James Cowan, who was in Toronto performing a birds of prey show for students on Thursday, said the Canada goose and the loon are tied for second place at about three or four per cent. Ontario residents are flocking to the red-tailed hawk and the loon. Even Premier Dalton McGuinty has thrown his support behind the red-tailed hawk, perhaps swayed by a nesting pair at the legislature. Atlantic Canadians appear to favour the Canada goose. Crows, ravens, Lincoln's sparrows and whiskey jacks all have some votes. But with 450 different types of birds spending at least a few months in the country each year, Canadians have plenty to choose from. Cowan said provincial birds such as the loon, which is Ontario's bird, or the snowy owl, which is Quebec's shouldn't be chosen. The national bird of another country would also be ineligible. He'd prefer an endangered bird not be selected, in case it becomes extinct. "It should be a bird that every Canadian I think sees in day-to-day life," said Cowan. "Personally I feel it shouldn't have any natural enemies, because I really don't want my national bird being picked on by some other animal out there." A handful of people questioned in downtown Toronto were surprised Canada has no winged ambassador, but all had their own suggestions. "I like the robin redbreast. It's a plain one but it's red," said Melissa Ware, 26, a fitness instructor. "I agree with promoting the natural wildlife that we have here." Legal assistant Eduarda Tavare, 44, likes the loon, eagle or hawk. "The hawk would make more sense. I don't think anyone else has adopted the hawk and they actually live in the city," she said. "As long as it's not the pigeon, we're OK." Legal assistant Julie Carter, 48, thinks it's high time Canada gets a national bird. "I always thought the goose was our national bird but I guess I'm wrong. So I vote for the cardinal," said Carter. Bird watching is the No. 1 hobby in the world and digital photography is helping boost its popularity, said Cowan. The conservancy, which performs 1,600 shows across the country each year, discovered Canada doesn't have a national bird while researching its new show season and hatched a plan to get one. Cowan said it would strengthen Canada's identity and could be used on currency. "You can see where the bald eagle has shown up in the States, it's on their seal. When the president does his speech there's the bald eagle right behind him," he said. The group will offer a paper petition at summer shows including at Toronto's CNE, Ottawa's SuperEx, Vancouver's Grouse Mountain and the Western Fair at London, Ont. The group will take the petition to Parliament once it gets 200,000 signatures. The bird that wins the most votes may not end up as the newest Canadian symbol unless politicians agree it is the best one to represent the country, cautioned Cowan. The petition can be found online atwww.canadianraptorconservancy.com ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01CAEDD4.97D32F90 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.18904"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> <P>Red-tailed hawk soaring above competitors in search for Canada's = national=20 bird</P> <P>PAT HEWITT, Metro News</P> <P></P> <P>May 06, 2010</P> <P> </P> <P>TORONTO - Canada's quest for a national bird appears to be taking = flight.</P> <P>With a Maple Leaf adorning the flag, a beaver on the nickel and = lacrosse and=20 ice hockey as national sports, Canada seems well-endowed with national=20 symbols.</P> <P>But as the country's 143rd birthday nears, there is no national = bird.</P> <P>Hope may be on the horizon, however, as the Canadian Raptor = Conservancy has=20 collected a few thousand signatures on its online petition asking the = government=20 to take the bird issue in hand.</P> <P>The survey asks Canadians to suggest a bird and explain why it's a = good pick.=20 Six weeks into its campaign, the conservancy has received about 20 = suggestions,=20 with the red-tailed hawk soaring high above the flock with 85 per cent = of the=20 vote so far.</P> <P>Conservancy director James Cowan, who was in Toronto performing a = birds of=20 prey show for students on Thursday, said the Canada goose and the loon = are tied=20 for second place at about three or four per cent.</P> <P>Ontario residents are flocking to the red-tailed hawk and the loon. = Even=20 Premier Dalton McGuinty has thrown his support behind the red-tailed = hawk,=20 perhaps swayed by a nesting pair at the legislature. Atlantic Canadians = appear=20 to favour the Canada goose.</P> <P>Crows, ravens, Lincoln's sparrows and whiskey jacks all have some = votes. But=20 with 450 different types of birds spending at least a few months in the = country=20 each year, Canadians have plenty to choose from.</P> <P>Cowan said provincial birds such as the loon, which is Ontario's = bird, or the=20 snowy owl, which is Quebec's shouldn't be chosen. The national bird of = another=20 country would also be ineligible. He'd prefer an endangered bird not be=20 selected, in case it becomes extinct.</P> <P>"It should be a bird that every Canadian I think sees in day-to-day = life,"=20 said Cowan.</P> <P>"Personally I feel it shouldn't have any natural enemies, because I = really=20 don't want my national bird being picked on by some other animal out = there."</P> <P>A handful of people qu