New Zealand's sought-after Bird of the Year title goes to... a bat

The title of New Zealand's annual Bird of the Year competition has been awarded to the country's sole land mammal: the pekapeka-tou-roa, or long-tailed bat.

This marks the first time that a bat – or any non-bird species – has participated in the competition, which is hosted by New Zealand's Forest & Bird conservation charity.

“New Zealanders clearly have a soft spot for their native bat,” said Laura Keown, spokesperson for Forest & Bird’s Bird of the Year campaign, in a statement on Monday revealing the results. “Supporting bats is also supporting predator control, habitat restoration, and climate action to protect both our bats and their feathered companions!”

The bat’s inclusion in the competition was intended to raise awareness and garner support for the species, according to the official statement.

The long-tailed bat is classified as 'nationally critical' by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, which warns that without proper protection, the species could face extinction.

“Long-tailed bats, or pekapeka-tou-roa, are an extraordinary part of New Zealand’s unique wildlife, yet many people are unaware of their existence,” said Ben Paris, senior conservation adviser at Auckland Council and bat advocate, in the statement.

Aotearoa is the Māori name for New Zealand.

The 2021 Bird of the Year competition saw its largest turnout yet, with a total of 56,733 votes cast, according to the organizers.

The long-tailed bat secured 7,031 votes, surpassing the kakapo, which earned 4,072 votes, to claim first place.

The kakapo, a large, flightless, nocturnal parrot, took the top spot in last year’s competition.

Known as the world’s heaviest parrot, the kakapo was saved from extinction in the 1990s but still faces the threat of being endangered.

Although the Bird of the Year competition aims to raise awareness of New Zealand's endangered bird species, it often sparks playful rivalries between campaigns and attempts to tamper with the results.

In 2020, organizers uncovered more than 1,500 fake votes, cast using bogus email addresses linked to the same IP address, temporarily pushing the little spotted kiwi to the top of the rankings.

Photo credit: Ian Davidson-Watts