An excerpt from Bird of the Year: Twenty years of ruffled feathers

an early lead, the kārearea New Zealand falcon kept its talons firmly on the top spot and has snatched the crown in the 20th anniversary Bird of the Year competition. 

Make your vote count for conservation in this year's local elections, By Scott Burnett

The kārearea has kept its talons latched onto first place in the race to be crowned Bird of the Year 2025 – however the battle behind it is heating up. 

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration of Bird of the Year, Forest & Bird is excited to announce a new musical partnership to celebrate its annual avian election. 

Forest & Bird is celebrating 20 years of Bird of the Year with the launch of a brand-new book. 

First there was Wordle. Now there is Birdle NZ – a new version of the daily guessing game released by Forest & Bird as it celebrates two decades of the Bird of the Year.

From Monday 15 September to Sunday 28 September, New Zealanders will once again flock online to vote for their favourite native birds, with the 2025 champion announced on Monday 29 September.