he votes are in for New Zealand’s Bird of the Century poll and the winner by a significant margin , getting more than 290,000 votes, is the Australasian crested grebe, better known as the pūteketeke or the ‘puking’ bird championed by comedian and talk show host John Oliver.
“It began as an outside contender but was catapulted to the top spot thanks to its unique looks, adorable parenting style and propensity for puking,” wrote conservation charity Forest and Bird in a statement on Wednesday local time announcing the results.
The second-place spot in the voting went to the kiwi, New Zealand’s emblematic national bird, garnering a total of 12,904 votes. Following closely behind, the kea, a notably intelligent species of large parrot, secured the third position with 12,060 votes.
The organization remarked that the appealing traits of these birds understandably captured the attention of a prominent bird enthusiast with a substantial following. They specifically mentioned HBO host Oliver’s impactful campaign, which led to online voting systems experiencing crashes.
Commencing in 2005, the yearly competition seeks to promote awareness of New Zealand’s native birds, numerous of which face threats such as habitat loss and human activities, pushing them to the brink of extinction or causing their extinction. a significant margin
However, the competition has not been without controversy in recent years, facing allegations of “voter fraud” in 2020 and sparking debate by declaring a bat as the winner the following year.