The Great Blue Heron has been selected as the City of Peterborough’s first official “city bird” following a community vote this summer.
The announcement was made Friday during the city’s inaugural Environmental and Climate Action Expo.
A community vote held Aug. 2 to Sept. 5 allowed residents to nominate their favourite local bird species from a list of 16 curated by Bird Friendly Peterborough (BFP), a program overseen by Nature Canada to raise awareness about Peterborough earning a Bird Friendly City status.
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The BFP team, composed of representatives from local nature-focused organizations, identified Peterborough as meeting the entry-level requirements of the Bird Friendly City program through existingcity policies and community programs.
“Congratulations to everyone involved with Bird Friendly Peterborough for a successful campaign to raise awareness of Peterborough’s birds and the essential role they play in our ecosystem,” stated Deputy Mayor Kemi Akapo.
Thomas Luloff of BFP thanked everyone for participating in the vote.
“The majestic Great Blue Heron, often seen along the shores of the Otonabee River and surrounding waterways, perfectly represents Peterborough’s connection between land and water,” he said.
The city says to learn more about making homes and businesses bird-friendly, visit www.birdfriendlypeterborough.ca for tips to reduce threats to local birds.
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