A raptor with no qualms about eating its opponents wins New Zealand’s annual bird election

['News Staff', 'Charlotte Graham-Mclay', 'The Associated Press', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width'] CityNews Halifax 2025-09-28 00:00:00

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand ’s annual bird election is contested by cheeky parrots, sweet songbirds and cute, puffball robins. But the annual poll, run by conservation group Forest & Bird, is no ordinary online vote. The fiercely fought election sees volunteer (human) campaign managers apply to stump for their favorite bird. “Bird of the Year has grown from a simple email poll in 2025 to a hotly contested cultural moment,” said Forest & Bird Chief Executive Nicola Toki. Forest & Bird said 87% of the votes in this year’s poll came from New Zealand.