Spirit bird

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

"Fierce intensity with a legendary, wide-open maw"

You skipped the dainty suburban singers and went straight for the heavy-hitting raptors like the Osprey and Owl. Your selfie captures that same intense, prehistoric energy—basically a biological megaphone for the rugged soul. Like the Lammergeier, you have no time for worm-eating robins when there is high-altitude drama to be had.

A note on your bird: it wasn't picked from the 10 you swiped through — those were just the warm-up. It was chosen from our full flock of 100 iconic Canadian birds, matching the pattern of what moved you. That's why it may be one you never met on your journey.