Bird of the Year is an annual competition where New Zealanders vote for their favourite bird.
Enthusiastic and internet-savvy New Zealanders (that’s you!) act as volunteer ‘campaign managers’ for their favourite birds, with many going to great lengths to get their bird ahead in the polls.
Bird of the Year gets Kiwis excited about native birds. Folks might even learn a bit about the many threats facing our native species, and how many of our birds are in trouble.
Bird of the Year Te Manu Rongonui o te Tau 2025 – Dates
Voting opens: 9am Monday 15 September
Voting closes: 5pm Sunday 28 September
Winner announced Monday 29 September
What does being a campaign manager involve?
You can do as much as you like. Some people have gone all-out by creating videos, selling t-shirts, or taking to the streets to ask for votes.
The reasonable expectation is that you get active on social media or using your own means to campaign for your bird. We’ve had people campaign on Tinder and TikTok – use whatever you’re good at!
Check the list to see which birds are available
We can't promise you'll get your first pick, so feel free to include a back-up or two. When a bird has been allocated it will be crossed off on the list. Can't see your favourite? Get in touch and let us know: birdoftheyear@forestandbird.org.nz