New Zealand’s fastest bird, the kārearea falcon, has soared to victory in this year’s Bird of the Year competition, taking the crown in what organisers describe as a scandal-free poll.
The kārearea, capable of diving at speeds of up to 200km/h, is the country’s only endemic falcon and a powerful aerial hunter. Small, tawny, and armed with formidable talons, it preys on other birds, lizards and small mammals – sometimes larger than itself.
“It’s our only remaining endemic raptor and a really important part of our ecosystem,” said Emma Blackburn, chair of the Kārearea Falcon Trust. Conservation officials estimate that only 5,000 to 8,000 remain. The species is threatened by predation from introduced mammals such as cats, stoats and hedgehogs, as well as habitat loss from logging and pasture conversion. Collisions with power lines and netting also take a toll.
The annual competition, run by Forest and Bird, drew over 75,000 verified votes from 123 countries. Launched 20 years ago to raise awareness of native species, the poll has often been dogged by mischief – from Russian interference claims in 2019 to comedian John Oliver’s 2023 campaign for the pūteketeke. But this year passed without controversy.
The kārearea, which also won in 2012, joins the hoiho and the kākāpō as the only birds to have twice claimed the title. The kea, New Zealand’s only alpine parrot, came second, while the rare karure black robin from the Chatham Islands placed third.
Nicola Toki, Forest and Bird’s chief executive, said the results highlight a serious conservation message: “This year’s top 10 matches the statistics exactly – 80% of them are in trouble. People fall in love with these birds – and once they know their stories, they care, they advocate and they act.”
