New Zealanders commence voting to choose 'Bird of the Year'

Wellington, Sep 2 : New Zealanders started to vote for the 2024 'Bird of the Year' title on Monday, an annual event to raise awareness about the protection of native birds.

More than 80 per cent of New Zealand's native birds are at risk or threatened with extinction, according to Forest & Bird, New Zealand's independent wildlife conservation organisation, and the organiser of the event, Xinhua news agency reported.

The campaign running for two weeks calls on Kiwis to vote for their top five birds, with the winner to be announced on September 16.

Votes can be cast on the Bird of the Year website. Around 60 volunteer campaign managers have signed up to advocate for 74 avian candidates in total, said a statement by Forest & Bird.

The annual Bird of the Year contest was temporarily rebranded as 'Bird of the Century' in 2023 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Forest & Bird.

The puteketeke Australasian crested grebe won the Bird of the Century title in 2023.

New on the ballot in 2024 is the Adelie penguin, backed by Antarctica New Zealand.

More than one-third of the global Adelie population live in New Zealand's home in Antarctica -- the Ross Sea region.

"These penguins not only wear the most adorable tuxedos but are also invaluable science ambassadors… They can tell us so much about our climate, and the Antarctic ecosystem," said Annie Robertson from Antarctica New Zealand.

The Adelie penguin will have tough competition from 2019 Bird of the Year winner Hoiho, the yellow-eyed penguin.