Black robin rules roost in New Zealand’s Bird of the Year vote
A record number of New Zealanders turned out at the polls this month, not for national elections but to vote for their Bird of the Year – the critically endangered black robin. The diminutive native lives on the remote Chatham Islands, 800km (500 miles) off the South Island’s east coast. In 1980, only five of the birds remained, including a single breeding female. Now there are about 350. The…
In a remarkable display of conservation support, New Zealanders have overwhelmingly chosen the critically endangered black robin as their Bird of the Year. The diminutive native, which lives on the remote Chatham Islands, 800km off the South Island’s east coast, now numbers around 350 after a successful recovery from just five individuals in 1980. The black robin outpolled other iconic birds such as the flightless kakapo and the native karearea falcon.
The annual Bird of the Year competition, run by the independent conservation group Forest and Bird, has faced controversy in the past, including accusations of Russian interference in 2019. However, Forest and Bird has since maintained that the majority of these votes were legitimate and did not impact the black robin's victory. This year, the hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, won the title after receiving support from comedian John Oliver.
Forest and Bird's Rebecca Hatch stated that this year's voter numbers – 105,000 – are a testament to New Zealanders' commitment to nature. Roughly one in every 50 Kiwis cast their vote, with the black robin receiving more than 26,000 votes. The Chatham Islands Landscape Restoration Trust spearheaded the campaign for the black robin, with the goal of creating a third habitat to further enhance the bird's biodiversity.
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