Hoiho will undoubtedly sing all year long after being crowned Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau Bird of the Year for the second time.
The hoiho, a yellow-eyed penguin, secured a decisive victory with 6328 votes. It previously won in 2019.
Thought to be the world’s rarest penguin species, hoiho is unique to Aotearoa New Zealand. Small populations are dotted along the east coast of Te Waipounamu the South Island, while more live on Rakiura Stewart Island and the subantarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands.
The dapper flapper, whose te reo Māori name hoiho means “noise shouter”, is notoriously shy despite its loud, shrill call.
It wasn’t just flipper-power and a sharp beak that aided the hoiho in its quest for the title of 2024 Bird of the Year.
A tenacious campaign propelled the penguin into first place, spearheaded by Ōtepoti Dunedin locals.
Campaign manager Charlie Buchan, marketing manager at Tūhura Otago Museum and Wild Dunedin, assembled a “dream team” of supporters including local wildlife and environmental organisations, the Highlanders rugby team, and Emerson’s Brewery, who crafted a special pale ale in honour of the “people’s penguin”.
“This is not just a win for the hoiho, but for the entire Dunedin community and the organisations working so hard to protect them,” Buchan said.
The species is classed as ‘Nationally endangered’.
“We worked really hard on this campaign for our awesome hoiho friends. We’re happy to fight for them and help them win.”
The hoiho also attracted big-name endorsements, including from legendary conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, former Prime Minister Helen Clark, and Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
“Huge congrats to team hoiho, whose awesome efforts and energy have championed a deserving winner,” Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki said.
“In a competition that was any bird’s to win, they showed up with the goods to capture hearts and minds across Aotearoa.”
Hoiho joins the kākāpō as the only manu to have taken out the world’s favourite avian election twice. The kākāpō won in 2008 and 2020.
Hoiho surged into first place in the second week of the competition, after initially trailing the karure Chatham Island black robin.
The teeny goth robin, backed by a campaign team from Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA), ultimately kept the ever-popular kākāpō at bay, securing second place.
A total of 52,477 verified votes were cast by bird lovers from across Aotearoa and around the world.
Top 10 (votes)
–Hoiho yellow-eyed penguin (6328)
– Karure Chatham Island black robin (5442)
– Kākāpō (4548)
– Ruru morepork (4467)
– Kea (4206)
– Pīwakawaka fantail (4205)
– Takahē (3892)
– Tawaki piki toka eastern rockhopper penguin (3834)
– Kōkako (3445)
– Toroa Antipodean albatross (3415)
