New Zealand’s fastest bird, the kārearea falcon, has been named the country’s Bird of the Year for 2025, taking the title in a rare scandal-free edition of the beloved national poll.
Capable of flying at speeds of up to 200km/h, the kārearea is New Zealand’s only falcon and one of its most formidable hunters. Tawny in colour with powerful talons and striking dark eyes, it can swoop on prey larger than itself after spotting them from high perches.
Emma Blackburn, chair of the Kārearea Falcon Trust, called the bird “a stunning predator” and stressed its ecological importance as the country’s only remaining endemic raptor. Current population estimates put numbers between 5,000 and 8,000.
Despite its prowess, the falcon faces serious threats. Ground-nesting makes eggs and chicks vulnerable to predators such as cats, stoats and hedgehogs. Habitat loss, power line collisions, and entanglement in netting also contribute to its decline.
Run by conservation group Forest and Bird, the Bird of the Year competition marked its 20th anniversary with more than 75,000 verified votes cast from 123 countries. Each of the 73 native bird contenders had campaign managers, but the usual hijinks – from foreign interference to celebrity-backed memes – were absent this time.
The kārearea, which also won in 2012, joins the kākāpō and last year’s winner, the hoiho, as the only two-time champions. The kea, New Zealand’s mischievous alpine parrot, finished second, while the tiny karure black robin placed third.
Over the years, the contest has been no stranger to controversy – from a bat winning in 2021 to John Oliver’s successful global campaign for the pūteketeke in 2023. But Forest and Bird’s chief executive Nicola Toki said the annual fun has always carried a crucial message: “Behind the memes and mayhem is a serious message – 80% of our birds are in trouble.”
She added: “When people learn these birds’ stories, they fall in love with them. And once they care, they act.”
