Kārearea | New Zealand falcon is Bird of the Year 2025!

This fast & fierce endemic bird of prey got its talons into the top spot early and held on, with 14,317 votes.

The 2025 competition had a whopping 75,439 votes in total. Thank you to everyone who took part.

WATCH: Learn more about the kārearea

Kea details and campaigner
Kea
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Tūī details and campaigner
Tūī
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Rock wren details and campaigner
Rock wrenPīwauwau
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Pipit details and campaigner
PipitPīhoihoi
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Tomtit details and campaigner
TomtitMiromiro
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Australasian crested grebe details and campaigner
Australasian crested grebePūteketeke
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Yellow-eyed penguin details and campaigner
Yellow-eyed penguinHoiho
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Australasian gannet details and campaigner
Australasian gannetTākapu
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Brown creeper details and campaigner
Brown creeperPīpipi
Doing OK
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Scaup details and campaigner
ScaupPāpango
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Banded rail details and campaigner
Banded railMoho pererū
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Little spotted kiwi details and campaigner
Little spotted kiwiKiwi pukupuku
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South Island kōkako details and campaigner
South Island kōkakoKōkā
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Fiordland crested penguin details and campaigner
Fiordland crested penguinTawaki
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Fantail details and campaigner
FantailPīwakawaka
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Morepork details and campaigner
MoreporkRuru
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Paradise shelduck details and campaigner
Paradise shelduckPūtangitangi
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Whitehead details and campaigner
WhiteheadPōpokotea
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Red knot details and campaigner
Red knotHuahou
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Kākāpō details and campaigner
Kākāpō
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Blue duck details and campaigner
Blue duckWhio
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Kākā details and campaigner
Kākā
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Red-billed gull details and campaigner
Red-billed gullTarāpunga
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Fernbird details and campaigner
FernbirdMātātā
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Australasian bittern details and campaigner
Australasian bitternMatuku-hūrepo
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Cook's petrel details and campaigner
Cook's petrelTītī
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Southern New Zealand dotterel details and campaigner
Southern New Zealand dotterelPukunui
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Fairy tern details and campaigner
Fairy ternTara iti
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Pūkeko details and campaigner
Pūkeko
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Saddleback details and campaigner
SaddlebackTīeke
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Brown teal details and campaigner
Brown tealPāteke
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Fairy prion details and campaigner
Fairy prionTītī wainui
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Kingfisher details and campaigner
KingfisherKōtare
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Long-tailed cuckoo details and campaigner
Long-tailed cuckooKoekoeā
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Westland petrel details and campaigner
Westland petrelTāiko
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Little penguin details and campaigner
Little penguinKororā
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Grey duck details and campaigner
Grey duckPārera
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Shining cuckoo details and campaigner
Shining cuckooPīpīwharauroa
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Kererū details and campaigner
Kererū
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Black-billed gull details and campaigner
Black-billed gullTarāpuka
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Kōkako details and campaigner
Kōkako
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Banded dotterel details and campaigner
Banded dotterelPohowera
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White heron details and campaigner
White heronKōtuku
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Royal spoonbill details and campaigner
Royal spoonbillKōtuku ngutupapa
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Antipodean albatross details and campaigner
Antipodean albatrossToroa
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Orange-fronted parakeet details and campaigner
Orange-fronted parakeetKākāriki karaka
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Stitchbird details and campaigner
StitchbirdHihi
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Black robin details and campaigner
Black robinKarure | Kakaruia
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Black-fronted tern details and campaigner
Black-fronted ternTarapirohe
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Shore plover details and campaigner
Shore ploverTūturuatu | Tchūriwat'
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Black stilt details and campaigner
Black stiltKakī
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Bellbird details and campaigner
BellbirdKorimako
Doing OK
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New Zealand dabchick details and campaigner
New Zealand dabchickWeweia
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Subantarctic snipe details and campaigner
Subantarctic snipeTutukiwi
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Hutton's shearwater details and campaigner
Hutton's shearwaterKaikōura tītī
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Silvereye details and campaigner
SilvereyeTauhou
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Rifleman details and campaigner
RiflemanTitipounamu
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New Zealand robin details and campaigner
New Zealand robinToutouwai
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Eastern rockhopper penguin details and campaigner
Eastern rockhopper penguinTawaki piki toka
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Yellowhead details and campaigner
YellowheadMohua
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Harrier details and campaigner
HarrierKāhu
Doing OK
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Subantarctic skua details and campaigner
Subantarctic skuaHākoakoa
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Variable oystercatcher details and campaigner
Variable oystercatcherTōrea pango
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Northern New Zealand dotterel details and campaigner
Northern New Zealand dotterelTūturiwhatu
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Spotted shag details and campaigner
Spotted shagKawau tikitiki
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Spotless crake details and campaigner
Spotless crakePūweto
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Reef heron details and campaigner
Reef heronMatuku moana
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Wrybill details and campaigner
WrybillNgutu pare
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Bar-tailed godwit details and campaigner
Bar-tailed godwitKuaka
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New Zealand falcon details and campaigner
New Zealand falconKārearea
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Takahē details and campaigner
Takahē
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Grey warbler details and campaigner
Grey warblerRiroriro
Doing OK
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Weka details and campaigner
Weka
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