NZ Bird of the Year

A DigitalNZ Story by Thomasin Sleigh

All the contestants for NZ Bird of the Year (http://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/) lined up in all their avian glory.

NZ, bird, year, competition, kiwi, kokāko, takahē, weka, tomtit, albatross, godwit, bellbird

Image: Children and albatross

Children and albatross

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Eastern Bar-Tailed Godwit (Kuaka)

Eastern Bar-Tailed Godwit (Kuaka)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Raper, George, 1769-1797: [Australian masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae)] 2 1/4 less N[atura]l Size

Raper, George, 1769-1797: [Australian masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae)] 2 1/4 less N[atura]l Size

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Bellbird feeding

Bellbird feeding

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Bittern nest with chicks

Bittern nest with chicks

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Whio in turbulent water

Whio in turbulent water

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Old Blue

Old Blue

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Keulemans, John Gerrard 1842-1912 :New Zealand dottrel. Banded dottrel. / J G Keulemans delt. & lith. [Plate XXV]; [Judd & Co. Limited Imp. London 1888]

Keulemans, John Gerrard 1842-1912 :New Zealand dottrel. Banded dottrel. / J G Keulemans delt. & lith. [Plate XXV]; [Judd & Co. Limited Imp. London ...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: North Island Fernbird (Matata) (above) / South Island Fernbird ( Matata)(centre) / Chatham Island Fernbird

North Island Fernbird (Matata) (above) / South Island Fernbird ( Matata)(centre) / Chatham Island Fernbird

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Gannet warden and junior wildlife wardens checking young gannets

Gannet warden and junior wildlife wardens checking young gannets

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Stitchbird (Hihi)

Stitchbird (Hihi)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Power, Elaine, 1931- :[Shearwaters. 1990]

Power, Elaine, 1931- :[Shearwaters. 1990]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Kākāpō on Stewart Island

Kākāpō on Stewart Island

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Keulemans, John Gerrard 1842-1912 :Kaka parrot and variety 'kaka-kura' - Nestor meridionalis. (One-half natural size). / J. G. Keulemans delt. & lith. [Plate XVII. 1888].

Keulemans, John Gerrard 1842-1912 :Kaka parrot and variety 'kaka-kura' - Nestor meridionalis. (One-half natural size). / J. G. Keulemans delt. & li...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Kākāriki

Kākāriki

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Black Stilt (Kaki) (left) / Wrybill (Ngutu Parore)

Black Stilt (Kaki) (left) / Wrybill (Ngutu Parore)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Kereru by Margaret Crighton Acrylic $75

Kereru by Margaret Crighton Acrylic $75

Kete Horowhenua

Image: White-faced storm petrel

White-faced storm petrel

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Pretre, I. G. :Glaucope cendre, male (Nouvelle-Zelande). Pretre pinx; Guyard sc. Voyage de l'Astrolabe. Zoologie. Oiseaux. Pl. 15 [Paris, Tastu, 1833]

Pretre, I. G. :Glaucope cendre, male (Nouvelle-Zelande). Pretre pinx; Guyard sc. Voyage de l'Astrolabe. Zoologie. Oiseaux. Pl. 15 [Paris, Tastu, 1833]

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Unidentified man and woman with a kiwi bird at Auckland Zoo

Unidentified man and woman with a kiwi bird at Auckland Zoo

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Making nest boxes

Making nest boxes

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Yellowhead

Yellowhead

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Shore plover

Shore plover

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: New Zealand storm petrel

New Zealand storm petrel

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Pukeko

Pukeko

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Rock wren on rock

Rock wren on rock

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Rockhopper Penguin (left) / Erect-crested Penguin (centre) / Fiordland crested Penguin (Tawaki)

Rockhopper Penguin (left) / Erect-crested Penguin (centre) / Fiordland crested Penguin (Tawaki)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: A morepork in a classroom at Korokoro School, Wellington

A morepork in a classroom at Korokoro School, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Saddlebacks, by John Gerrard Keulemans

Saddlebacks, by John Gerrard Keulemans

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Pied Shag

Pied Shag

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Sooty Shearwater (Titi)(left) / Short - Tailed Shearwater

Sooty Shearwater (Titi)(left) / Short - Tailed Shearwater

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Black Petrel (Taiko) (rear) / Cook's Petrel (Titi)

Black Petrel (Taiko) (rear) / Cook's Petrel (Titi)

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Prime ministers and takahē

Prime ministers and takahē

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Tui

Tui

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Image: Buff weka in pasture

Buff weka in pasture

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: White-faced herons with chicks

White-faced herons with chicks

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: New Zealand birds: yellow eyed penguin

New Zealand birds: yellow eyed penguin

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Grey warbler

Grey warbler

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Australasian Harrier

Australasian Harrier

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Royal Spoonbill

Royal Spoonbill

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Waxeye

Waxeye

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Whitehead

Whitehead

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Scaup diving

Scaup diving

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Skua

Skua

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: New Zealand Double-banded Plover

New Zealand Double-banded Plover

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Yellowhead, Mohoua ochrocephala

Yellowhead, Mohoua ochrocephala

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Crake, Spotless

Crake, Spotless

Puke Ariki

Image: White-faced Heron

White-faced Heron

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao