The Town of Halton Hills’ official bird is set to take flight in 2025. The question is, which avian will be the symbol of the municipality?
A short list of 11 birds has been created for residents to pick from, and the first round of voting gets underway on Monday (Feb. 17) on Let's Talk Halton Hills. Votes can also be cast during operating hours at the Georgetown and Acton locations of the Hillsview Active Living Centre and the Halton Hills Public Library.
The different species - compiled with the help of Bird-Friendly Halton Hills and the Halton/North Peel Naturalist Club - are meant to adequately represent Halton Hills. The winner will be chosen over two rounds of voting.
“We chose birds that are here year-round,” Councillor Chantal Garneau, who's spearheading the effort, told HaltonHillsToday.
Voters can expect to pick between, to name a few, the red-tailed hawk, the common crow, the eastern screech owl or even the turkey vulture.
In June of 2022, Halton Hills was anointed as a bird-friendly municipality by Nature Canada. Garneau, who was instrumental in obtaining the honour, says naming an official bird is one of the requirements.
But there's also a community-based reason behind the push.
“Already what I'm finding is residents are so excited about this. And it feels hopeful. In the world right now there's a lot of chaos, a lot of fear and separation. But birds seem to be a way to bring people together,” Garneau said.
Mayor Ann Lawlor called the initiative “a great idea,” especially because “residents care deeply about our natural landscapes and wildlife habitat and naming an official bird fits perfectly into those priorities.”