
Bird of the Year announced
Kōkako wins the other big election held this year!
In October the annual Forest And Bird election results were released, with the Kōkako winning at the ballot despite stiff competition from the kea and piwakawaka.
According to 16-year-old Oscar Thomas who, along with Rotoehu Ecological Trust in the Bay of Plenty led the Kōkako campaign, the bird “sings with a deep, five-note call that makes the Tui sound like an elaborate train wreck.”
The kōkako is found mainly in North Island native forest among tawa, taraire or kauri trees. In 1999 there were only 660 Kōkako left. Now, with sustained predator control and translocation programmes, there are over 3000.
Forest and Bird play a significant role in the success of these initiatives and we are proud to sponsor this iconic New Zealand organisation. In 2016 close to 20,000 people voted for their favourite bird. We hope even more can take part when it comes time to vote in 2017.
Read more from us

Your winter garden to-do list
Winter is an excellent time to take a step back and think about big picture plans for your garden. Make a cuppa and settle in to read these suggestions.

Putting your leaf litter to work
Heather Loughlin of Tauranga’s Amberwood garden shows how she uses leaf litter to boost biodiversity and help plants thrive through winter.

Backyard Bounty: Tomatoes
Just when you thought you'd had your fill of tomatoes, here are three unique ideas to see you through the late summer/early autumn harvest.