JACK: We now return to the final episode
of New Zealand's Bird of the Year.
Three birds stand before me, but only one of you has what it takes
to be New Zealand's next Bird of the Year.
So, who will it be?
(BIRD CAWS)
Red-billed gull, we love your seabird quips,
but you stole my chips.
Fiordland crested penguin, black and white is what you wore,
but after a while...it was a bore.
I'm sorry, my dears, but neither of you
are New Zealand's next Bird of the Year.
It's time to squawk away.
Which means for the first time
in New Zealand's Bird of the Year history
the winner is the long-tailed bat.
Well, what do you have to say?
(SQUEAKS)
JACK: OK, so it might seem a little odd
for a bat to win a bird competition
because, well, bats aren't birds,
they're mammals,
but the organisers - not that guy but the real organisers -
say it's all for a good cause.
For the past 16 years, our neighbours across the ditch
have held an online poll where everyone and anyone can vote
on their favourite feathery New Zealand friend,
and let's just say people get pretty into it.
I think you should vote for the orange-fronted parakeet!
In the past, we've had winners like the grey warbler, the kakapo,
the kiwi, the pukeko, the kea,
the kakapo again
and now, joining the Hall of Fame with a little over 7,000 votes,
is the pekapeka-tou-roa, or the long-tailed bat.
Con-bird-ulations, pekapeka-tou-roa.
As winner, you'll receive a tiny crown and sceptre,
as well as a sickening supply of awareness.
Yep, the whole competition is
to raise awareness for native wildlife
and these guys could do with it.
You see, the tiny native bats
are just one of two land-dwelling mammals in New Zealand
and they are so rare that scientists don't actually know
how many remain in the wild.
So, organisers thought the competition would be a great way
to raise awareness of this tiny threatened species.
WOMAN: They face a lot of the same threats that our birds do,
so we thought that including the bats was a good way
for people to get to know them and learn more about them.
This is Laura, one of the real organisers of the competition,
and she says reactions to the announcement have been mixed.
Well, we've certainly ruffled some feathers
by letting this little bat fly to victory,
but I think a lot of people are only just hearing about the competition
and they've got a reaction, but they didn't...
..they didn't exercise their bird-ocratic rights
to vote in the election.
So, I'd say, you're not allowed to complain about the results
unless you've voted in the elections.
Believe it or not, this isn't the first time
the competition has had its share of controversy.
Last year, more than 1,500 fake votes were slipped into the ballot
in favour of the kiwi pukupuku,
with many accusing Russia for the hack.
And back in 2019, Australia was accused of rigging the count
in favour of the kakapo.
A bird contest is no place for foul play.
But don't worry,
Laura assures me that this time there was no rigging.
I'm happy to report we had a free and fair bird election.
Laura says that it doesn't matter if it's a bat or a bird that wins.
At the end of the day, it's about giving all of these creatures
a moment to shine.
And remember, if you can't protect yourself,
then maybe enter a competition and someone else will do it for you.
Now, fly, my pretties.
Fly, fly!
# Fly, fly, fly Oh-oh, oh-oh
# Fly, fly, fly, fly. #