Alberta has many emblems. The are official Provincial animals, colours, fish, grasses, stones, tartans, trees and birds.
What is Alberta’s Official bird?
The official bird of Alberta is the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus).
The owl was adopted as the Provincial bird on May 3, 1977. This was the result of a student vote across Alberta.
The Great Horned Owl symbolizes Alberta’s wildlife and environment, and the need to conserve and protect it.
They are one of the largest owls in Alberta, with an average wingspan of 39.8–57.1 inches.
The Great Horned Owl is not only in Alberta. They are fairly common in the forests throughout North America and South America, however, they do not migrate.
While Alberta and other Canadian Provinces have official provincial birds, some municipalities also have official birds of their own.
What is Calgary’s Official Bird?
The official bird of Calgary is the black-capped chickadee. This was the result of a vote by Calgarians.
More than 35000 votes were cast, and the winner was revealed Saturday May 14, 2022.
It was the strong winner with 44 percent of the vote as Magpies were a distant second place with 24 percent of the vote.
What is Edmonton’s Official Bird?
Edmonton does not have an official city bird. Many people have argued that the magpie should be the official Edmonton bird.
In Summary
- Alberta’s official bird is the Great Horned Owl. Adopted as the official bird in 1977 as the result of a vote by school children
- The great horned owl symbolizes Alberta’s dedication to protecting wildlife
- Calgary voted to adopt it’s own city bird in 2022. Edmonton and Red Deer currently do not have an official city bird
