The Scots pine will today be designated as Scotland’s national tree and moves are afoot to make the golden eagle our national bird. Jack McKeown looks at Scotland’s other icons.
Benjamin Franklin thought America’s national bird should be the turkey, which was quite prescient given how many of them Americans now consume each year.
Of course, the United States went for the much less delicious (one assumes) but arguably more magnificent bald eagle as its national bird.
Now Scotland is looking to get in on the game. If we were to go by sheer numbers and impact on the public consciousness then the seagull would undoubtedly be Scotland’s national bird.
That would do little to boost national pride, however, and less still for our tourism industry, so the golden eagle is being championed instead.
The majestic bird of prey was picked as Scotland’s favourite bird in a public poll last year and a petition to officially legitimise that outcome has now been lodged with the Scottish Parliament.
Wildlife photographer Gordon Buchanan appeared before MSPs yesterday to put forward the case for making the golden eagle Scotland’s national bird.
With a referendum to be won or lost, and the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup to be held, there is a renewed focus on Scotland’s national symbols.
Today will see the Scots pine designated our national tree following a three-month consultation which saw the tree find favour with two thirds of respondents.
The root and branch search for Scotland’s special sapling saw the second-placed rowan fade into the undergrowth, with only one in five showing any be-leaf in it.
But it’s not just a national tree we’re pining for. Scotland has a wealth of national symbols some of them officially designated by the government, others unofficially adopted by the people.
Scotland has a National Museum, a National Portrait Gallery, a National Symphony Orchestra and a National Theatre.
Were Family Fortunes to do a survey of Scottish symbols, however, many of the top answers would not be officially endorsed.
Scotland’s national tipple is whisky, often followed the next morning with our other national drink, Irn-Bru Scotland is the only country in the world where Coca Cola is not the biggest-selling soft drink.
Scotland also, famously, has no national anthem but Flower of Scotland has been embraced as our unofficial anthem.
Scotland’s sportsmen and women will make their entrance at this summer’s Commonwealth Games to its refrains.
It was chosen as the national anthem following an athletes’ vote at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
And, despite its jingoistic title and an overwhelming 2011 election victory, Scotland certainly does not have a national political party.
But how does anyone go about making something a national symbol? A spokeswoman for the Scottish Parliament said there was no formal process for doing so and no “master list” of national icons.
Members of the public can put a petition to the Public Petitions Committee, and an MSP can table a motion.