Voting has opened for the highly contested Bird of the Year competition.
Last year saw the kererū took the crown after a voting scandal rocked the competition , with the shag receiving hundreds of fraudulent votes from Australia. The blue duck was another recipient of fraudulent votes, with 28 attempts to "trick the system".
Click here to vote for Bird of the Year . Below is an outline of some of the competitors of this year's competition, written by the bird's campaign managers.
Kāhu Harrier
Campaign run by Scott Bowman of Oxford Bird Rescue.
They are heavily impacted by humans on a daily basis with multiple birds being hit by vehicles, awareness needs to be raised!
Harriers are an apex predator and being at the top of the food chain they can pretty much eat all the other birds as they see fit. Also, they never fly drunk like last year's winner!
Sir Edmund Hillary, soaring to great heights.
Kōkā South Island Kōkako
Campaign run by the South Island Kōkako Charitable Trust
We know it's out there somewhere and if any native bird is completely on the brink extinction, it's ours! We even have a $10,000 reward for a confirmed and photographed sighting!
South Island kokako is completely unique and endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Once declared extinct, its conservation status is now 'data deficient' after an accepted sighting near Reefton in 2013.
Kiri Te Kanawa. The South Island kokako call is a delicate hollow opera akin to the soulful soprano songstress.
Matuku Bittern
Campaign run by Ria Kemp.
Bittern numbers in New Zealand declined greatly following destruction of 90% of their wetland habitat to create farmland and suburban towns. It’s time for our shy Bittern to be noticed.
Bitterns can and do imitate sticks. They are the only NZ bird to do this in order to catch their prey.
Baritone opera singer Phillip Rhode and outdoors fisher dude Matt Wilson Bittern need to be a combination of both to catch the ladies and food.
Weweia New Zealand Dabchick
Campaign run by Edwards Matthews.
The Weweia is one of the species in New Zealand closest to extinction - so much so they are extinct in the South Island and generally only found in small numbers in the Central North Island.
It has a great lid (haircut) - the slicked back hair would make Leo DiCaprio’s Jack Dawson proud; and win the hearts of men and women across every generation.
Probably Richard Kahui because he deleted Quade Cooper under the high ball once. The Weweia loves a big hit in rugby as long as the arms are wrapped.
Kererū
Campaign run by Marc Daalder.
It may not be as flashy as the Piwakawaka, as iconic as the Kiwi bird, or as media-savvy as the Kākāpō, but that’s what makes the Kererū so special: its banality.
Just like all of us, the kererū isn’t perfect. Sometimes it gets a little tipsy – enough to fall out of trees. Maybe it could stand to exercise a bit more. Sure, it snacks more than needed. But who among us doesn’t? It’s the kind of bird you’d want to have a pint with – not a celebrity, but a mate.
Sir Edmund Hillary, who defied naysayers and the odds to make history, in the same way the kererū campaign will when we win reelection.
Kārearea New Zealand Falcon
Campaign run by Nich Kelly.
Like any open minded millennial, the kārearea exhibits many socially progressive characteristics in its day-to-day life.
Gender equality: Female kārearea are the larger (more dangerous) sex. Environmental Warriors: As NZ’s only endemic bird-of-prey, they are the only ones who fight the real fight on the ground, hunting mammalian pests. Body inclusivity: The kārearea are they only bird who exhibit a full range from chonky bois to slim jims.
Taika Waititi. A charming, New Zealand icon, well loved by NZ and the world.
Korimako makomako Bellbird
Campaign run Jon Anderson.
His natural beauty! While not a big chonker, or a member of the #penguinparty, the korimako is everywhere around us (at least in Dunedin, particularly around the Green Belt), singing his little heart out.
I like to think that he’s not as brash as the tūī (who’s famous for that), and simply sings for the joy of it; I think the korimako can remind us to be thankful for what we have, rather than focus on the negatives of life.
Someone like Dave Dobbyn; a love for music, and a generous heart.
Toutouwai New Zealand Robin
Campaign run by Melissa and Claudia Gunn
It's everyone's BFF in the bush! Very friendly, strident and feisty in the morning, got a bit of a boot fetish.
It's all in the attitude. Small with understated grey and white plumage means attention is focussed on its friendly boot-focus, unless it is distracting you with its singing.
Nancy Wake, aka 'the white mouse' - a secret agent in WWII who was friendly yet feisty, and definitely good with people in boots.
Tawaki Fiordland Crested Penguin
Campaign run by Team Tawaki.
Tawaki are NZ’s secretive rain-forest dwelling penguins. They’re the only one of our three mainland species that were smart enough to breed well away from us pesky humans.
The striking combination of lightning bolt like crests and white war paint on their faces. Secondly their secretive nature. And last but not least, their epic ultramarathon escapades in the southern ocean (just for laughs).
Sir Edmund Hillary - Not least because Sir Edmund’s coat of arms features two tawaki! But I feel there is some resemblance in their rugged, angular look.
Kawau Spotted Shag
Campaign run by Olivia Boswell & the Auckland Museum Bird of the Year Team.
It’s looking for love and needs all the help it can get! Life gets lonely out on the high seas so we want to do all we can to get the spotted shagging again.
The spotted shag has amazing amounts of personality, wit and speed. Basically all you need to be a master criminal but instead the spotted shag uses it for good by keeping an eye out on pesky over-fishing fisherman, corralling naughty fish and building fancy nests on rocks that would rival any tiny home.
Steve Hansen. Incredibly smart, likeable and good looking, swift, svelte and of course, an 'iconic New Zealander'.
Pohowera Banded Dotterel
Campaign run by George Hobson.
They have gorgeous plumage, huge personalities packed into tiny bodies, and their chicks are basically adorable little fluffballs on legs. Sadly, they get killed every day by cats, stoats, hedgehogs and four-wheel drives – because they nest in a tiny little scrape on the sand.
During the breeding season, Banded Dotterels have high speed racing stripes across their chest, to enhance their insect catching abilities.
Jason Gunn, because they’re both quirky, funny, always on the go, and can capture the hearts of a nation.
Pīwauwau Rock Wren
Campaign run by Anna Clark and Alex Lister.
Very few people know about them! And Bird of the Year is a great opportunity to raise the profile of fascinating species that don't get a lot of media attention!
Perseverance! Living above the Bush line for their entire lives is no small feat (even if they have small feet) and such an achievement requires a perseverance and hardiness that the other candidates just don't have.
Definitely Sir Edmund Hillary! As New Zealand's only true alpine bird species (move over kea...), these birds withstand the brutal alpine environments all year round.
Pīwakawaka Fantail
Campaign run by Alex Toumar & Adrienne Buckingham.
Forest friends and bringers of death; you chose!
A kickass tail and killer brows. Also the blood of Maui's death on its feathers. 'In Māori mythology the fantail was responsible for the presence of death in the world.'
Michelle A'Court and John Campbell. Ever present, popping up when you least expect in a friendly way with a cheeky "cheet" and great brows.
Rockhopper Penguin
Campaign run by NZ Life & Leisure Magazine.
Rockhopper penguin has the best eyebrows of the competition but it's not just a pretty face. The rockhopper is a little scrapper fighting for survival in the sub Antarctic.
As well as the best brows, Rockhopper also is the best hopper and is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.
Steven Adams. Rockhopper has got game. We can jump and make hops like an NBA star. Who says sea birds can’t get air?
Tīeke Saddleback
Campaign run by Tīeke for New Zealand Bird of the Year.
Tīeke is the closest living relative of the extinct and sacred huia, taonga of tupuna Māori. Most people have never seen a Tīeke, so raising its profile will encourage people to visit sanctuaries such as Zealandia and Bushy Park so they can have their own up-close encounter with this Queen/King of Birds.
When it’s not the breeding season, the Tīeke male continues to pay attention to his missus and bring her little gifts of food. And when the chicks hatch, he takes equal share in caring for them. What an awesome dude!
Tīeke has a lot in common with Lorde; another amazing and beautiful singer with charisma.
Pōpokatea Whitehead
Campaign run by Derek Tearne.
The pōpokatea is not a well known bird, and yet, wherever they flock, they bring joy to those who encounter them.
A flock of pōpokatea / whitehead will raise the spirits more than any other bird.
Suzy Cato - always cheerful.
Tītipounamu/tuke Rifleman
Campaign run by 'Bird Nerd'
Ahakoa he iti he pounamu. Although it is small it is a treasure.
New Zealand’s smallest bird & can walk up sideways on trunks of trees searching for delicious insects.
Frodo Baggins (basically a kiwi.. right?). Galadriel once famously said 'even the smallest person (bird) can change the course of the future'.
Tūturiwhatu New Zealand Dotterel
Campaign run by Peter Doyle, Christine Stewart & Leighton Simmons.
These birds create camouflaged nests on beaches over summer which are vulnerable to trampling and predation, so raising awareness through this period is crucial.
The NZ Dotterel is easily the cutest of all birds, the most defenceless, and the bravest, parents will feign injury to lure predators away from their nest.
Chris Parker. Hilarious, fashion-forward, and strawberry blonde.
Pārera Grey Duck
Campaign run by Ian McLean.
The Grey Duck is a mild-mannered, good looking native that is unknown to many New Zealanders. It has greatly suffered and deserves to be legally protected, actively conserved and cherished as a toanga within Aotearoa, New Zealand!
The Grey Duck is facing threats that are very different compared to our other native and endemic birds. Its main threat is being hybridized out of existence by the sexually aggressive introduced Mallard Duck.
Teina Pora, a kind and quite person.
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