The pukeko has won the crowning title of Bird of the Year in 2011 in Forest & Bird’s annual popularity contest.
This birdy-come-lately arrived on our shores 1,000 years ago from Australia, and has since won over New Zealanders with its plucky attitude, fabulous blue-suit and mischievous charm.
This purple swamp hen makes its home in our wetlands – a habitat that has shrunk in recent years due to drainage for farms, and other such developments.
So a big round of applause please for our blue-suited battler – the pukeko, our critically endangered kakapo for securing second place and a surprise bronze medallist the hihi.
The top ten birds were -
1. Pukeko (1480)
2. Kakapo (1068)
3. Hihi (756)
4. Kaka (562)
5. Tui (319)
6. Saddleback (304)
7. Ruru (Morepork) 291
8. Kea (209 )
9. Kokako (188)
10. Fantail (177)
This is the seventh year Forest & Bird has run the popularity contest. Past winners include the tui (05), fantail (06), grey warbler (07), the kakapo (08) the kiwi (09) and the kakariki (10).
