Bird of the Year gets political; a postponed election, campaigns, alliances, and Tiktok

Tuesday, 27 October 2020

Some surprising tactics and campaign methods have emerged for Bird of the Year 2020, with groups around the country forming alliances and taking to social media to raising awareness for native birds. (File photo)

Campaigns are underway for what some might say is the most important election of 2020, Forest and Bird’s annual Bird of the Year/Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau.

Birds are taking to Twitter, Tinder, even Tiktok, to promote their cause.

New Zealanders have three weeks to make up their minds, with voting opening online at 9am November 2, and running for two weeks, closing at 5pm on November 15.

The annual competition garners upwards of 40,000 votes, and features 73 birds.

Little Blue penguins in Flea Bay on Banks Peninsula. (File photo)

* Whio aversion training being offered to owners of farm, hunting dogs

* Bird of the Year campaigns heat up ahead of voting

The New Zealand dotterel campaign team has joined an alliance with two other sea birds, the royal spoonbill and the variable oyster catcher, to launch the Beach Boi Party, campaigning for votes for beach-dwelling birds. (File photo)

The competition began as a tear-out page in the Forest and Bird magazine 15 years ago. The first winner was the tūī in 2005.

People can vote for their five favourite native birds, and some groups are forming alliances for maximum campaign clout.

Last year’s winner, the hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin), released a statement on their Facebook page saying it would not be seeking re-election.

Instead, it would be throwing its “considerable chonk” behind the Penguin Party.

“Last year, the penguins of Aotearoa fell on their swords to support hoiho and we must honour their sacrifice.

A takahe at the Burwood Takahe Centre, the engine of the takahe recovery program, which aims to set up self-sufficient populations on the mainland. (File photo)

“Together, we will raise awareness that penguins are not fish whilst reminding people throughout New Zealand that all six of our penguin species are in some or serious trouble.”

Bird of the Year spokesperson Laura Keown said most people didn’t know three-quarters of New Zealand’s native birds were in trouble, or facing extinction.

The competition was pushed back following the postponement of New Zealand’s political election; the original date for voting to close being October 18, the day after the general election.

“We decided we didn’t want the birds to overshadow the human election,” Keown said.

A pair of whio (blue duck) pictured here at Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch, is New Zealand’s endemic duck that doesn’t quack. (File photo)

The amount raised from fundraising in last year’s Bird for the Year event was nearly $40,000.

Votes had more than tripled in the past five competitions, likely due to moving online. In 2015 there were 13,000 votes, and in 2019 there were more than 43,000 votes.

“Bird nerds” all over the country had launched campaigns, created alliances, and put their chips on the table.

Anyone could manage a campaign, even starting now; if the bird’s profile doesn’t name a manager on the website, anyone can take on the challenge.

The takahē campaigners had taken to Tiktok (@tiktakahe), and the variable oyster catcher had joined forces with the royal spoonbill and the New Zealand dotterel to launch the Beach Boi Party, campaigning for three of people’s five votes for shorebirds.

Even hunting groups are taking a stance. The Game Animal Council, the NZ Deerstalkers Association (NZDA), and Hunters for Conservation are asking hunters to vote for the bird they will officially back; either the kārearea/NZ falcon, or the whio/blue duck.

General manager Tim Gale said in 2019 hunters got behind the kārearea/NZ falcon, which came in at ninth place.

The whio, a stalwart of the backcountry which features on the $10 note, came sixth in last year’s competition.

Hunters for Conservation spokesperson Jason Van Beers said hunters wanted to do more for conservation.

“Inspiring the hunting community to get involved in boots on the ground conservation projects that make a real difference is critical to the preservation of our threatened species.

“The Bird of the Year competition is a great way to help further raise awareness and educate hunters.”

Hunters could vote for either the kārearea or whio on the Game Animal Council Facebook page, and the NZDA would announce the hunters’ champion bird the day voting opened.

* Learn more at www.birdoftheyear.org.nz and follow #birdoftheyear on most social media platforms.