an early lead, the kārearea New Zealand falcon kept its talons firmly on the top spot and has snatched the crown in the 20th anniversary Bird of the Year competition.
This milestone year has seen record engagement, with more than 75,000 voters flocking online to back their favourite native manu. Every one of the 73 birds in the running had a volunteer campaign manager this year, creating a flood of online noise – from hand-drawn posters to reels and memes that threatened to take over the internet.
With everyone from the Reserve Bank to a clutch of Hobbit actors jumping in to back their favourites online, this year’s election once again showed how deeply New Zealanders connect with our manu.
“Bird of the Year has grown from a simple email poll in 2005 to a hotly contested cultural moment for Aotearoa,” says Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki.
The kārearea is a high-speed hunter, capable of reaching 200 km/h in a dive, but it is also at risk – especially from habitat loss and predation. The campaign was managed by Caitlin Pieta from Auto Mossa. “It’s been a privilege to champion such a remarkable manu, and we’ve loved seeing the public get behind it,” says Ms Pieta.
The 2025 win puts the kārearea in an elite class of champions who have secured multiple titles over the past two decades. Hoiho won in 2019 and 2024, and kākāpō took home the crown in 2008 and 2020.
After being pipped for the top spot in the final days of voting last year, the karure black robin is again just short of a win but made a strong move from fifth to secure a podium finish at third.
The 20th anniversary brought extra celebrations. Songwriter Troy Kingi will compose a track for the kārearea as the first instalment of Waiata Manu, a new project creating original waiata for Bird of the Year winners. Other specials include Bird of the Year: Twenty years of ruffled feathers – a new book tracing the scandals and triumphs of the contest – and the launch of the Birdle NZ game, which has quickly gained a cult following and will continue to entertain fans worldwide on a daily basis now the Bird of the Year campaign is over.
Forest & Bird says that while the competition is always full of humour and creativity, the bigger picture is conservation.
“Behind the memes and mayhem is a serious message. This year’s top 10 manu matches the statistics exactly – 80% of them are in trouble. Two (kākāpō and karure black robin) are nationally critical, each with fewer than 300 individuals remaining,” says Ms Toki.
“Habitat destruction, climate change and introduced predators continue to push many species towards extinction – but public awareness can be powerful.
“People fall in love with these birds – and once they know their stories, they care, they advocate and they act.”
2025 Numbers
Total votes: 75,439Validated votes: (counted) 67,675Voting from: 123 countries (87% New Zealand)
Top 10 birds 2025
Position Name Votes Conservation Status 1 Kārearea | New Zealand falcon 14317 In serious trouble 2 Kea 12506 In serious trouble 3 Karure | Black robin 11726 In serious trouble 4 Kākāpō 10792 In serious trouble 5 Ruru | Morepork 10174 Doing ok 6 Tawaki pika toka | Eastern rockhopper penguin 10030 In serious trouble 7 Pīwakawaka | Fantail 9915 Doing ok 8 Takahē 9828 In serious trouble 9 Hihi | Stitchbird 8885 In serious trouble 10 Hoiho | Yellow-eyed penguin 8665 In serious trouble
How can I help the Bird of the Year 2025?
Kārearea nests are made on the ground and get predated by introduced predators like cats, stoats and hedgehogs. You can help protect our precious manu by giving a trap to a community conservation group near you or a general donation towards this conservation mahi. When you Give a Trap, you help towards a predator-free Aotearoa.