New Zealanders flock to the polls

8 October 2009 – Wellington

Forest & Bird media release for immediate use

New Zealanders flock to the polls to vote for their favourite bird

The tiny rifleman has flitted to the lead as the surprise frontrunner in Forest & Bird’s search for ‘Bird of the Year’. With nearly a week to till polls close, a record turn-out of nearly 7000 people have cast their votes online. 

The rifleman leads with 1064 votes – twice as many votes as its nearest competitor – but a last-minute surge could see several of its rivals overtake it in the final week of voting.  Polling closes on October 14.

“We’ve been blown away by the voter turnout and the passion people have shown in campaigning for their favourite feathery contenders,” Forest & Bird spokesperson Mandy Herrick says.

Polling second is the kea, with 527 votes; in third place is the takahe (477 votes) and fourth is the tui (431 votes).  Less popular are the muttonbird, whitehead, shag, grebe and the ”piratical” skua, which are all struggling to garner votes.

Campaign managers, including Jeremy ”Spoonbill” Wells, Dame Kiri Te Kereru, Sam Hunt and Kim Hill have been touting for votes for their favourite avian contenders in online blogs and videos for the last three weeks.

Mandy Herrick says feathers have flown at times as rival campaigners fought impassioned battles for their candidates.

The kiwi has suffered some brutal insults (”boring, uncharismatic, shy”) and many campaign managers have called for its resignation as our national bird.  A bird that carries its cutlery at the end of its beak, the spoonbill, and its campaign manager, Jeremy Wells, have also been ridiculed.

“Why does his support of this gawky, garish, honking, foreign tourist not surprise me?  Because he sees himself as a royal spoonbill,” broadcaster and long-time campaigner for the grey warbler, Graeme Hill, wrote of Wells’ ill-fated spoonbill campaign, which is lagging well behind on just 57 votes.

Forest & Bird has also selected some lesser-known contenders for Bird of the Year and profiled them in online videos.  Mandy Herrick says the poll helps build public awareness of some of New Zealand’s most unique native birds.

“Although birds like the kokako appear on our $50 note, most people would struggle to identify one. These birds have done a vanishing act in the past hundred years because of forest clearance and predation. They’re in great danger of slipping from the public consciousness,” she says.

“Forest & Bird’s poll is an important way to raise awareness of the plight of many native birds, whose numbers are declining because of introduced pests and declining habitat.”

Blue Wattled Wonderful  - The kokako 
Winged Adonis – The hihi
The Kea: A Bogan-tastic Bird   -  The kea
Winged Wonders  -The Albatross 

The Bird of the Year 2008 title was taken out by the kakapo, and other winners have included the fantail, the tui and the grey warbler. Forest & Bird will announce the winner of Bird of the Year 2009 on October 15.

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