To celebrate this conservation success and inspire hope and action, we're rallying Kiwis to VOTE KIWI for #BirdOfTheYear.
Will you help us spread the word?
Voting opens: 15 Sep on www.birdoftheyear.org.nz
Choose 5 faves, include kiwi, and validate your vote via email!

By 1912, the kiwi pukupuku species was thought to be down to just 5 and moved to Kāpiti Island (extinct on mainland New Zealand).

In 2000s, 40 were brought to Zealandia in Wellington with 15 of their descendants translocated out to support another population in 2025.

📷 John Hermans, Lynn Freeman

Each year, kiwi species take turns at being the 'party leader' for #BirdOfTheYear New Zealand compeition to avoid splitting the vote if they ran separately. The 2025 'party leader' is kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi!

📷 Judi Lapsley Miller, Shaun Lee, Benjamin Ramos, Leon Berard, Rod Morris (DOC)

Each year, kiwi species take turns at being the 'party leader' for #BirdOfTheYear New Zealand to avoid splitting the vote if they ran separately. The 2025 'party leader' is kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi!

📷 Judi Lapsley Miller, Shaun Lee, Benjamin Ramos, Leon Berard, Rod Morris (DOC)

Here's another one, he was just snacking along the side of the path and didn't care about our tour group at all! We also saw a big momma kiwi but she gave us a "yeah/nah" and waddled away 😂

FYI these are Little Spotted Kiwi at @zealandia.bsky.social -- www.visitzealandia.com/About/Wildli...

Aww, so pretty! And birdy 😂