Bird of the Year w/ Lissy Fehnker-Heather: October 6, 2021

On the 18th of October voting for Forest and Bird’s ‘Bird of the Year’ opens across the country. It’s an extremely popular competition where Aotearoa’s native birds are set against each other in a race to the finish. The competition gained 55,000 votes last year with the Kakapo taking the win. It’s always a bit of fun, but it has a serious side too. Climate change and habitat loss are huge threats to Aotearoa with about 80% of native birds threatened or at risk of extinction. The competition helps to raise awareness about native birds and what the changes in their habitats mean. On the Wire this week, Frances Wright talked with Lissy Fehnker-Heather who is Forest and Bird’s regional manager for Auckland and Coromandel and Spokesperson for Bird of the Year about the history of the competition and what it means for conservation in Aotearoa.