Controversy sparked as John Oliver's endorsement of Bird of the Century divides New Zealand

The annual Bird of the Year competition in New Zealand has become an international PR battle, attracting the support of US chat show host John Oliver. The competition aims to raise awareness of endangered native bird species in New Zealand. This year, the winner will be named Bird of the Century. Oliver launched a campaign in support of the pūteketeke bird during his show Last Week Tonight. Any individual can campaign for a candidate, regardless of their location. Oliver's team highlighted the pūteketeke's unique qualities and the need to protect it. Oliver even dressed up as the bird on Jimmy Fallon's chat show and erected billboards in various countries. His involvement has significantly boosted the number of votes in the competition. However, there is controversy over the pūteketeke's eligibility as a candidate due to its presence in both New Zealand and Australia. Last year, the competition faced backlash for banning the kākāpō, the world's fattest parrot, from competing. Voting for this year's Bird of the Year will close on Sunday.