This Adorable 'Rare Species', Once Down to Only Five Birds, Wins New Zealand's 'Bird of the Year' with 100,000 Votes

Tops Poll with 25,610 Votes out of Over 100,000 Participants

Population Recovers to About 350 After Near Extinction

New Zealand's black robin, 'Karure', which was once on the brink of extinction with only five individuals remaining worldwide, has been selected as the 2026 'Bird of the Year'.

The New Zealand conservation group Forest & Bird officially announced on September 21 that Karure won first place in the Bird of the Year poll, receiving 25,610 votes.

Karure inhabits the Chatham Islands, which are located about 800 km from New Zealand’s mainland. Adult birds are so small that they weigh only as much as an AA battery, and they mainly live in forests where they feed on insects and other invertebrates.

This species once faced rapid population decline due to habitat loss and predation by introduced species, driving it to the brink of extinction with only five individuals remaining in 1980. Among these, it was the pairing of the female 'Old Blue' and the male 'Old Yellow' that essentially saved the species from disappearing entirely.

New Zealand's black robin, 'Karure'. Screenshot from the New Zealand Department of Conservation website.

The New Zealand authorities and local residents launched restoration work to protect the remaining robins and boost their numbers. They utilized methods such as having Karure eggs hatched by other bird species to encourage breeding. Thanks to these efforts, there are now about 350 adult Karure living in two predator-free conservation reserves.

However, the risk of extinction has not been completely eliminated. Karure is still classified as 'Nationally Critical' in New Zealand. Most suitable habitats within existing reserves are already nearing capacity, so securing new habitats is essential to further increase the population.

Conservation groups are considering Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands as a candidate for new habitat. Their goal is to create an environment suitable for Karure breeding by removing introduced predators. The restoration of Pitt Island is expected to benefit not only Karure, but also other endangered birds living in the Chatham Islands.

Meanwhile, this year's Bird of the Year poll saw a record turnout of approximately 105,000 participants. The second place went to the kakapo, while the third place was taken by the New Zealand falcon, karearea.

Forest & Bird explained, “This vote was more than just a popularity contest; it was held as a campaign to raise awareness about New Zealand's endangered wildlife,” adding that “over 80 percent of New Zealand's native birds face some level of threat.” It was also noted that eight out of the top ten species this year are currently in a critical situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.