Pūteketeke Emerges as New Zealand's Bird of the Century following John Oliver's Advocacy

New Zealand's Bird of the Century title has been awarded to the pūteketeke, following a contentious campaign by US talk show host John Oliver. Oliver's vigorous support for the vulnerable crested grebe garnered international attention. Only around 3,000 of these native birds remain in the wild. The annual Bird of the Year contest saw a record-breaking number of votes this year, with over 350,000 ballots cast from nearly 200 countries. The voting system crashed due to the overwhelming response, resulting in a two-day delay in announcing the winner. New Zealand's incoming prime minister, Christopher Luxon, congratulated Oliver and the pūteketeke supporters. The pūteketeke was initially considered an outsider in the contest, but its distinctive appearance, adorable parenting behavior, and penchant for regurgitation helped secure its victory. Oliver, who advocated for the bird on his HBO show, praised the pūteketeke's unique qualities. To bolster its campaign, Oliver donned a giant pūteketeke costume during an appearance on fellow comedian Jimmy Fallon's show. The comedian also put up billboards in several countries, referring to the bird as the "Lord of the Wings" in a nod to New Zealand's famous Lord of the Rings movies. Nevertheless, Oliver's involvement stirred controversy, with some New Zealanders labeling it as "American interference" in their bird election. Supporters of other birds, such as the kakariki karaka and kiwi, expressed their discontent with Oliver's influence. The competition even saw instances of voter fraud. Despite the controversy, the pūteketeke, known as the Australasian crested grebe, received over 290,000 votes, while the kiwi came in second with just 12,904 votes. The kea, kākāpō, and fantail rounded out the top five. This is not the first time the Bird of the Year contest faced controversy. Last year, the kākāpō was banned from competing as it had won the title twice before. Additionally, the 2021 winner was a bat, which surprised many. Despite the controversy, Nicola Toki from the environmental conservation organization Forest and Bird, which organizes the contest, believed that the global attention brought to New Zealand's bird conservation efforts was worthwhile. She highlighted the fact that over 80% of the country's native birds are on the threatened species list and stressed the importance of international observation of their conservation efforts.