Kārearea Falcon Crowned New Zealand’s 2025 Bird of the Year

In Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, the winner of the annual contest for the country’s boldest or most widespread bird was announced. Kārearea, the Māori name for the New Zealand falcon, this year took the Bird of the Year title thanks to its fearless approaches to hunting rivals.

Kārearea, a falcon with character, was crowned Bird of the Year during a ceremonial announcement on Monday. The voting is organized by the conservation group Forest & Bird; this is not only an online poll: campaign volunteers compete for support for their bird using memes, posters, and even costume performances in bird costumes.

“Bird of the Year grew from a simple email poll in 2025 into a hot cultural event.”

“Behind the memes and the chaos lies a serious message.”

According to Nicola Toki, the chief executive of Forest & Bird, Bird of the Year since 2025 has evolved from a simple online poll into a real cultural phenomenon that draws wide public attention. Behind the memes and the chaos lies a serious message

Significance for the country and the birds’ reactions

The competition draws attention to local birds: about eight percent of species are considered vulnerable or endangered. At the same time it boosts public interest in nature, as New Zealand is famous for its diverse avifauna against the backdrop of an almost complete absence of land mammals.

Among the favorites are the kea, alpine parrots that sometimes “provoke” tourists, and pigeons, which can become tangled in branches because of berries. “This is not a land of lions, tigers and bears”, explains Toki.

“They are mysterious birds, and partly for that reason they often hide from sight.”

According to official tallies, the falcon population in New Zealand numbers about 5,000–8,000 individuals. Bradfield called them “fast, clever, and very special” predators, worthy of the Bird of the Year title and a meaningful part of the national avifauna.

Contest participants also opened the door for other candidates: one campaign manager, Mark Daalder, led the effort for tākapu, or the Australian magpie, gathering about 962 votes – roughly 15% of the winner’s total. Daalder explained that working on a campaign for a less well-known species is satisfying, since it is people’s contributions that turn votes into real results.

Despite high turnout, experts warn that New Zealanders may focus on conserving not just one species given financial costs and the presence of natural threats. “People come here to see our native birds and the places where they live”