'It can get quite heated': Voting to open soon for Regina's official bird

The highly anticipated race to be named the official bird of Regina is on. The city has narrowed the competition down to six feathered finalists.

Regina was designated a bird friendly city in April of 2022 and will have named the official bird by the end of the year.

The birds up for the coveted title are the Canada Goose, American White Pelican, Grey Partridge, Black-Capped Chickadee, Peregrine Falcon, and Red-Breasted Nuthatch.

Shannon Chernick is the manager of conservation education for Nature Saskatchewan, and the co-chair of the Bird Friendly City Committee.

“In the City of Regina, we have about 30 birds who stick around year round, which, when you live here, you realize it means it’s -50 C, it is very cold here,” Chernick said.

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CTV’s very own Nelson Bird is one of the panelists chosen to defend one of the birds in the running, his being the American White Pelican.

“They remind me of pterodactyls the way they fly overhead. You see them and think of a prehistoric time but they’re so unique also, could you imagine? A pelican mascot as the official bird of Regina? That’d be so amazing,” Bird said.

Each of the birds has a panelist designated to speak on their behalf, which is crucial in a competition this significant.

“We see them all over the place, the geese, the crows, the ducks, the birds behind me, they’re always here and I think it’s about time we have an official bird in this city,” Chernick continued.

“I was told that in some cities there was more people who voted for the official bird than in the municipal election, so it can get quite heated,” she added.

Voting opens on Nov. 30 and will remain open until Dec. 10 on the city's Be Heard platform.