Top of the pecking order: Kereru¯ voted Bird of Year
New Zealand’s native wood pigeon, the kereru¯ , has swooped in to claim the Bird of the Year competition.
Amassing 5833 votes in the annual competition run by conservation group Forest & Bird, the kereru¯ , ku¯ ku¯ pa, or wood pigeon, as it is variously known, finished well ahead of the second-placed ka¯ka¯po¯ on 3772 votes.
It’s the first time the kereru¯ has taken top spot.
A team led by Green Party MP Chlo¨ e Swarbrick campaigned for the kereru¯ to win by highlighting its prodigious appetite and size.
The Bird of the Year is run to raise awareness about New Zealand’s unique native birds and the threats they face. While the kereru¯ population is classed as stable overall, it is in danger of becoming locally extinct in some areas where there has not been sustained predator control, Forest & Bird said.
“The fate of many forests is linked to that of the kereru¯ , as it’s the only native bird big enough to swallow and disperse the large fruit of karaka, miro, tawa and taraire.”
The kereru¯ ’s win came despite British comedians Stephen Fry and Bill Bailey backing the rival ka¯ka¯po¯ and takahe¯ birds.
Bird of the Year featured on Tinder for the first time, with Shelly the kak¯ı, or black stilt, attracting 500 matches across New Zealand.