Kārearea New Zealand falcon wins 2025 Bird of the Year

Monday 29 September 2025 · 8 outlets · 6 reports · updated Mon 29 Sep 2025, 8:53am

In this story Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Forest and Bird, Nicola Toki

The kārearea New Zealand falcon has been crowned the winner of the 20th anniversary Bird of the Year competition. More than 75,000 voters from around the world participated in the contest, which featured 72 or 73 native bird species.

How they headlined it

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1. Otago Daily TimesMon 29 Sep 2025, 5:00am

   NZ falcon snatches Bird of the Year crown (opens in new tab)

2. RNZMon 29 Sep 2025, 6:05am

   Bird of the Year 2025 winner set to take flight (opens in new tab)

3. StuffMon 29 Sep 2025, 8:30am

   High-speed hunter takes out coveted ‘Bird of the Year’ title (opens in new tab)

4. NZ HeraldMon 29 Sep 2025, 8:49am

   Kārearea/NZ falcon wins 2025 Bird of the Year in record‑breaking vote (opens in new tab)

5. Waikato Times via The PressMon 29 Sep 2025, 8:50am

   Kārearea New Zealand falcon crowned 2025 Bird of the Year (opens in new tab)

   Also on The Post (opens in new tab), The Press (opens in new tab)

6. 1News via RNZMon 29 Sep 2025, 8:53am

   Kārearea NZ falcon crowned 2025 Bird of the Year (opens in new tab)

   Also on RNZ (opens in new tab)