Forest & Bird’s Bird of the Century is the pūteketeke Australasian crested grebe. (It’s not one of the five birds I voted for.) It is a little-known lake bird, numbering fewer than 1000 in New Zealand.

More than 380,000 votes were cast from 195 countries – the biggest reach the F&B bird competition has ever had, raising the profile of all the birds in the competition.  

In Aotearoa, more than 80% of our native bird species are threatened or at risk of extinction.  Forest & Bird has been working for 100 years to protect and restore our country’s wildlife and wild places.  A donation to F&B will fund more trapping, which will protect birds during their vulnerable breeding season. Another way to help is by becoming a member.

Metalbird have sculpted the Bird of the Century out of steel. You can also pick up a John Oliver ‘friend’ to clip onto its back, as a nod to his promotion on Last Week Tonight, with 30% of proceeds from each sale donated to Forest & Bird. See metalbird.co.nz.