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| Bird of the Year: Rare anti-social penguin wins New Zealand poll | Bird of the Year: Rare anti-social penguin wins New Zealand poll |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An endangered yellow-eyed penguin has won New Zealand's coveted Bird of the Year competition after two weeks of intense campaigning. | An endangered yellow-eyed penguin has won New Zealand's coveted Bird of the Year competition after two weeks of intense campaigning. |
| The hoiho saw off more than five rivals to become the first penguin to win the annual honour in its 14-year history. | The hoiho saw off more than five rivals to become the first penguin to win the annual honour in its 14-year history. |
| With only 225 pairs left on New Zealand's mainland, the hoiho is said to be the rarest penguin in the world. | With only 225 pairs left on New Zealand's mainland, the hoiho is said to be the rarest penguin in the world. |
| Experts say the hoiho is an anti-social bird that communicates with a high-pitched scream. | Experts say the hoiho is an anti-social bird that communicates with a high-pitched scream. |
| The bird won 12,022 out of the 43,460 votes cast and verified, organisers said. | The bird won 12,022 out of the 43,460 votes cast and verified, organisers said. |
| Forest & Bird, the conservation group that runs the poll, said the hoiho's victory over the kakapo and last year's winner, the kereru, was a "huge upset". | Forest & Bird, the conservation group that runs the poll, said the hoiho's victory over the kakapo and last year's winner, the kereru, was a "huge upset". |
| "It was so close between these amazing endangered birds, it was impossible to predict a winner for most of the competition," said Megan Hubscher, a spokeswoman for the group. | "It was so close between these amazing endangered birds, it was impossible to predict a winner for most of the competition," said Megan Hubscher, a spokeswoman for the group. |
| The penguin's bid attracted support from two mayors during a campaign marked by "memes and trash-talk", Ms Hubscher said. | The penguin's bid attracted support from two mayors during a campaign marked by "memes and trash-talk", Ms Hubscher said. |
| The vote attracts interest nationwide, with campaign teams renting billboard space and creating promotional videos to build support. | The vote attracts interest nationwide, with campaign teams renting billboard space and creating promotional videos to build support. |
| Underlining the significance of the result, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged the penguin's victory at her weekly press conference. | |
| "I feel inclined to congratulate the winner given it's the first seabird that's taken out top honours," she said on Monday. | |
| Ms Ardern expressed hope that the hoiho's victory would pave the way for "a future win for the black petrel", another seabird she has shown "long-standing commitment and support for". | |
| There are no reports of voting irregularities this year after fixing scandals marred previous polls. | There are no reports of voting irregularities this year after fixing scandals marred previous polls. |
| Previous winners include the kereru, a type of wood pigeon, in 2018 and the kea, a species of large parrot, in 2017. | Previous winners include the kereru, a type of wood pigeon, in 2018 and the kea, a species of large parrot, in 2017. |
| "Bird of the Year has become a national passion, and that's thanks to everyone relentlessly and ruthlessly promoting their favourite bird's weirdest qualities to the globe," Ms Hubscher said. | "Bird of the Year has become a national passion, and that's thanks to everyone relentlessly and ruthlessly promoting their favourite bird's weirdest qualities to the globe," Ms Hubscher said. |
| What kind of bird is it? | What kind of bird is it? |
| A tall, portly penguin with a pale yellow band of feathers on its head, the hoiho stands around 65cm (25in) tall and weighs around 5kg (11lb). | A tall, portly penguin with a pale yellow band of feathers on its head, the hoiho stands around 65cm (25in) tall and weighs around 5kg (11lb). |
| Although mostly silent, the birds do shriek in a high-pitched tone when they mate. | Although mostly silent, the birds do shriek in a high-pitched tone when they mate. |
| Experts fear the penguins are at risk of becoming extinct unless action is taken to conserve their habitat. | Experts fear the penguins are at risk of becoming extinct unless action is taken to conserve their habitat. |
| Hoiho face numerous threats, including warming oceans leading to changes in food availability, bottom trawling damaging feeding grounds, being caught in fishing nets, and disturbance from humans, Forest & Bird said. | Hoiho face numerous threats, including warming oceans leading to changes in food availability, bottom trawling damaging feeding grounds, being caught in fishing nets, and disturbance from humans, Forest & Bird said. |
| For this year's poll, the organiser used a single transferable voting (STV) system, where voters rank their five favourite native birds. | For this year's poll, the organiser used a single transferable voting (STV) system, where voters rank their five favourite native birds. |
| Under STV, if one candidate's vote-share exceeds a certain threshold, their surplus votes are transferred to other candidates, which is why the black robin rose from fifth to third in the final tally. | Under STV, if one candidate's vote-share exceeds a certain threshold, their surplus votes are transferred to other candidates, which is why the black robin rose from fifth to third in the final tally. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |