Common Loon

The Royal Canadian Mint introduced a beautiful new one-dollar coin in 1987 with the Common Loon on it, the “loonie”. Canada made a good choice with the Common Loon as their national bird.

The Common Loon, is an enchanting bird, a symbol of the country’s rugged wilderness. Common Loons are stunning in their breeding plumage and a joy to watch if you can get close enough.

There are clear and compelling reasons why the Common loon is the logical choice. There is the loonie, flying high at the moment, and the fact that loons, though present throughout the country, are never overabundant. The black bill, the black and white pattern on its back and wings, a white necklace, and its red eyes make it an easy bird to identify, and one that lends itself to graphic representation. Loons also play an important role in the stories and myths of First Nations and Inuit. And finally, loons require water to become airborne, providing a useful reminder to Canadians of the importance of this precious natural resource.
But there is something less definable about the loon that makes it such a strong candidate for Canada’s national bird. The loon’s melancholy call on a still, summer evening evokes a sense of romance and mystery. Though most of us live clustered along the southern border, we have an innate bond with Canada’s vast northern wilderness – the boreal forest that covers 50 per cent of the land mass of the country. The loon is connection to that wilderness.

The ghostly sound of the Common Loon is frequently heard in movies, though sometimes a bit out of place. Their haunting sound is inspiration for music, Loon-calling contests and festivals, and both Minnesota and Ontario claim the Common Loon as theirs.

The Common Loon is a highly devoted bird. Both male and female work to build the nest, share in sitting on eggs, and feeding the young. Parents are also often seen carting chicks on their backs as they swim.  You can imagine the countys’ prosperty with word “devoted bird both male and female work to build” the nation.

Canada has a wide range of attractions for tourists. There are large cosmopolitan cities as well as small isolated settlements in Canada. Canada also offers great facility for water sports and fishing. The natural beauty of Canada is an amalgamation of lakes, rivers, Rocky Mountains, breathtaking scenery, beautiful resorts, and great national parks, rich farming, historical sites and much much more.

Places of Interest : Casa Loma, CN Tower,  Ontario Place, African lion Safari, Paramount Canada's Wonderland, Basilique Notre-Dame,  Beechwood Cemetary, Bruce Peninsula & Fathom Five National Marine Park, Billings Estate Museum, Bytown Museum, Beaver Trails Canada, Canada agricultural museum, Canada Aviation Museum, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canadian Golf and Country Club, Canadian war museum, Canadian tulip festival, Deer Lake, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Goderich and Lake Huron, Gros Morne National Park, The Gaspé Peninsula, Little Italy, McCord Museum of Canadian History, Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve, Niagara Falls, Parliament Hill, Terra Nova National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, Writing-on-Stone Provinical Park, 1000 Islands,  and many more, find out in: http://www.greatcanadiantravel.com/home ; http://www.canada.travel/selectCountry.html ;  http://www.destinationcanada.info/  and http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en/ .