REUTERS/Gary Cameron Friday was Canadian Jobs Day, and Canada crushed expectations.

That sent the Canadian dollar — or loonie — surging.

It also prompted my colleagues to question why the Canadian dollar is called the loonie.

The answer is really simple: There's a picture of a loon on one side of the $1 coin.

A loon is a bird that looks not unlike a duck, and is extremely common in Canada. They're also pretty vocal, and make several types of pleasant hoots and wails.

Of note, Canada does not have $1 bills. The lowest bill denomination in Canada is the $5 bill.

Other Canadian coins include dimes, nickels, quarters, and $2 toonies.

The toonie — a combination of the words "two" and "loonie" — has a polar bear on one side.

All Canadian coins bear the image of Queen Elizabeth II on the reverse side.

Here's the loon: