Plump, flightless parrot crowned Bird of the Year after a campaign marred by voter fraud

A long, heated election campaign, clouded by a voter fraud scandal and bitter competition between interest groups, ended unexpectedly on Monday when a hefty, flightless, nocturnal parrot pulled off a shocking upset victory.

The kakapo, officially the world’s heaviest parrot, triumphed in New Zealand’s Bird of the Year vote after a campaign that rivaled political elections in intensity.

It became the first bird to win the title twice – a feat not banned by the country’s constitution – and claimed victory through the contest’s intricate and confusing voting system, despite losing the popular vote to the Antipodean albatross.

“In a stunning turn of events, the kakapo swoops in from behind to snatch the #BirdOfTheYear 2020 title away from the leading contender,” announced Forest & Bird, the environmental group behind the competition, on social media on Monday.

The New Zealand contest often becomes heated, with politicians, celebrities, and online communities backing their favorite animals.

This year’s competition sparked significant controversy after organizers discovered over 1,500 fraudulent votes, cast through fake email addresses linked to the same IP, which briefly pushed the little spotted kiwi to the lead.

Amid a flurry of celebrity endorsements for various candidates, the adult toy company Adult Toy Megastore threw its support behind the hihi, citing its practice of 'consensual polyamory.'

Campaigners for various candidates rallied votes across different platforms, with takahe supporters – a large, flightless bird – creating a TikTok account to engage younger voters.

In the end, however, the vanquished favorites graciously accepted their loss to the kakapo, which had previously won the title in 2008.

“It’s been a close race all along, but @team_kakapo Kākāpō claimed victory at the last moment, surpassing us in the instant-runoff voting,” tweeted the “Albatross for Bird of the Year” campaign.

A history of vote manipulation

Organizers reported over 55,000 votes cast in the competition, which aims to raise awareness for New Zealand's endangered bird species but often results in humorous rivalries and attempts at tampering with the results.

In 2018, a surge of suspicious votes for the shag was uncovered, and the year before, over 100 fraudulent votes were cast for the white-faced heron.

The kakapo, which claimed victory on Monday, is a large, noisy parrot with a unique smell. It was brought back from near extinction in the 1990s but remains critically endangered.

“Its feathers seem to have been soaked in a blend of musky oils, like something straight out of a Middle Eastern perfumery,” the competition's website remarked.

The contest also featured some other intriguing candidates, such as the morepork or ruru, which Forest & Bird called “a bit of a mystery,” and the piwauwau, or rock wren, known for its “true mountain courage.”

“Sadly, many of New Zealand’s native birds are in danger and need your support,” said Forest & Bird when announcing the winner. “Their habitats are being destroyed by invasive predators, pollution, human development, and climate change.”

The competition took place just weeks after New Zealand’s general election, which saw incumbent Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern secure a comfortable victory, and only days after Joe Biden triumphed in the US Presidential race.