Last month, a dark horse candidate came from behind to win a historic election without securing the popular vote. The populace was in disbelief, and outrage ensued. That’s right, we’re talking about the dramatic conclusion to Canada’s national bird contest. The polls opened in early 2015 with 40 different candidates on the ticket, but by the end, only five were left standing: the Canada Goose, Snowy Owl, Common Loon, Black-capped Chickadee, and Gray Jay. The winning species was revealed in late November by the Royal Canadian Geographic Society (RCGS). Here’s the backstory: Two years ago, RCGS called on all Canadians to vote for the bird they thought best represented their country. (At nearly 150 years old, Canada still lacked a proper avian representative, despite having a national mammal, two national sports, and even a national tartan.) But a few weeks ago, RCGS announced its decision that the Gray Jay should be Canada’s national bird—even though the Common Loon...