Kererū takes out Bird of the Year honours for 2018

Monday, 15 October 2018

Voting is open for Bird of the Year 2018.

Native wood pigeon the kererū or kūkūpa is this year's runaway winner in Forest & Bird's annual Bird of the Year competition.

Final voting figures released on Monday morning show the kererū received 5833 votes, far ahead of second-placed kākāpō with 3772. Third place went to the kakī or black stilt with 2995 votes.

Last year's winner the kea, came in 5th this year with 1984 votes.

The competition attracted international attention, with Stephen Fry voting for the kākāpō and comedian Bill Bailey backing Team takahē.

The kakī, or black stilt, came in third, with the help of a Tinder profile.

* Bird of the Year: How an endangered bird ended up on Tinder

* Cheeky mountain parrot kea named New Zealand's bird of the year

* Kererū debate sows native seeds of division in Bird of the Year competition**

The kakī used dating app Tinder to try to boost its popularity, with a bird called Shelly attracting 500 matches.

The competition was also the subject of some skulduggery, with IP addresses in Australia sending in 300 votes for the shag, and 1500 for the kakī. Those efforts at 'fowl-play' were intercepted by the contest scrutineer at Dragonfly Data Science.

Forest & Bird said the kererū population was classed as stable, but was in danger of becoming locally extinct in some areas where there has not been sustained predator control.

'The fate of many forests is linked to that of the kererū, as it's the only native bird big enough to swallow and disperse the large fruit of karaka, miro, tawa and taraire.'

The team supporting the kererū in 2018 included Green MP Chloe Swarbrick. 'Their campaign focused on the bird's size and appetite, kicking off a meme war over which native bird is the roundest,' Forest & Bird said.

It's the first time the kererū has won the title.

BIRD OF THE YEAR 2018 RESULTS:

1 Kererū 5833

2 Kākāpō 3772

3 Kakī (Black Stilt) 2995

4 Orange-fronted Parakeet (Kākāriki Karaka) 2452

5 Kea 1984

6 Fantail (Pīwakawaka) 1865

7 Takahē 1863

8 Hihi (Stitchbird) 1750

9 Blue Duck (Whio) 169

10 Ruru (Morepork) 1586

11 Black Robin 1508

12 Yellow Eyed Penguin (Hoiho) 1359

13 Kārearea (New Zealand Falcon) 1218

14 Tūī 1162

15 Kōkako 1156

16 Banded Dotterel (Pohowera) 1008

17 Rockhopper Penguin 1004

18 Albatross (Toroa) 962

19 Little Penguin (Kororā) 892

20 Kākā 764

21 Fairy Tern (Tara iti) 725

22 Kingfisher (Kōtare) 663

23 Bittern (Matuku) 606

24 Bellbird (Korimako) 496

25 Kiwi 489

26 Rock Wren 489

27 Rowi (Okarito Brown Kiwi) 476

28 Tomtit (Miromiro) 463

29 Grey Warbler (Riroriro) 442

30 Black-billed Gull (Tarāpuka) 441

31 New Zealand Robin (Toutouwai) 440

32 Saddleback (Tīeke) 407

33 Weka 402

34 Hutton's Shearwater (Kaikōura Tītī) 379

35 Royal Spoonbill (Kōtuku Ngutupapa) 334

36 Tawaki (Fiordland Crested Penguin) 329

37 Pūkeko 315

38 Shag (Kawau) 297

39 Gannet (Tākapu) 285

40 Rifleman (Tītipounamu) 256

41 Barn Owl 215

42 Wrybill (Ngutuparore) 213

43 New Zealand Dotterel (Tūturiwhatu) 207

44 Whenua Hou Diving Petrel 205

45 Harrier (Kāhu) 177

46 Black Petrel (Tāiko) 169

47 Shore Plover (Tuturuatu) 163

48 Black-fronted Tern (Tarapirohe) 162

49 Silvereye (Tauhou) 153

50 Bar-tailed Godwit (Kuaka) 131

51 Mohua 106

52 Fernbird (Mātātā) 96

53 Brown Teal (Pāteke) 72

54 Whitehead (Pōpokatea) 70

55 Spotless Crake (Pūweto) 68

56 Shining Cuckoo (Pīpīwharauroa) 66

57 Scaup (Pāpango) 61

58 White-faced Heron (Matuku Moana) 57

59 Westland Petrel (Tāiko) 55

60 Arctic Skua 53

61 South Polar Skua