Forget the Academy Awards, these are the A-Caw-demy Awards.
New Zealand’s Forest & Bird organization has crowned its annual Bird of the Year. The 2025 winner is the kārearea New Zealand falcon, a “high-speed hunter” that garnered over 14,000 of the 75,000 votes cast.
The contest not only celebrates the best in fowl, it also aims to bring awareness to the conservation efforts for these birds. The kārearea, for example, is classified as “in serious trouble.”
“Habitat destruction, climate change and introduced predators continue to push many species towards extinction – but public awareness can be powerful,” says Forest & Bird Chief Executive Nicola Toki. “People fall in love with these birds – and once they know their stories, they care, they advocate and they act.”