Gray Jay - Canada's National (Northern) Bird

When I see the range map for the Gray Jay, I can understand why the Canadian Geographic magazine has declared that the Gray Jay should be Canada's National Bird. This seriously is a Canadian bird — and it was even once called the Canada Jay, a name it still holds in French: Mésangeai du Canada. 

Gray Jay - welcome in my backyard, but lives too far away... © SB

Sadly, though, we don't have Gray Jays in Regina as they aren't part of our Prairie Nature, but they are found across Saskatchewan's boreal forests. 

If I'd known on my last visit to the Banff area that this honour would be falling where it did, I'd have tried a lot harder to capture a good (with cheeky forward head tilt, and clear back feathers) image of this bird! 

What is this? A Gray Jay (Mésangeai du Canada)
Location: Deadman's Flats, near Canmore, Alberta

Photo date: October 12, 2016

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