Shy, smelly 'noise shouter' penguin named New Zealand's Bird of the Year
Hoiho penguin
The shy and smelly penguin has been named New Zealand's Bird of the Year. The hoiho, or the yellow-eyed penguin, is one of the rarest in the world and is the largest species of penguin in New Zealand.
The endangered penguin won the battle for Bird of the Year, securing 6,328 votes, following a campaign free from scandals and controversies which surroundedpast competitions. The penguin is known for its distinct pale yellow streak of feathers near its eyes.
The two-week competition drew over 50,000 votes, much less than last year's event which attracted 350,000 votes across 195 countries. The 2023 event involved the British-American comedian and talk show host John Oliver, who led the winning campaign for the pūteketeke, a “deeply weird bird” that eats and pukes on its feathers.
Also read |This museum gives experience of how 'bone-chilling' was Atlantic when Titanic drowned: Watch
This year, 10 per cent of the voters represented New Zealand's population. The country has a deep-rooted love of native birds in its citizens.
The Māori name hoiho given to the penguin translates to "noise shouter" for its shrill call. The species is native to the South Island's east coast and the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands. The fishy-smelling, shy bird lives in the coastal forests, dense flax, or scrubs.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New OTT Releases this week (June 15-21, 2026): Drishyam 3 to Husbands In Action-7 latest movies and TV shows coming on Netflix, Prime Video and more
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How US fighter jet pilots can change a missile's target after launch
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Which radar system does the US Air Force's B-52 bomber use?
)
Bangladesh PM’s adviser returns to Dhaka after being stopped at IGI airport. This is what we know
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Raakh: The most disturbing scenes that make Ali Fazal's crime thriller hard to forget
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Watched Maternal Instinct? Stream these 5 similar crime investigation documentaries on Netflix
)
Jimmy Kimmel trolls Donald Trump’s 80th birthday with parody of alleged Jeffrey Epstein card
)
Turkish aviation company says it lost Rs 4,700 crore in a day following Operation Sindoor
)
Woman launched from 40-metre bridge without safety rope in Brazil, falls to death
)
Raakh ending explained: The final episode is far more devastating than it appears
)
US claims Strait of Hormuz will be toll-free. Iran says ships will pay maritime service fees. What's really in the peace deal?
)
From Devyani Khobragade to Gulf of Oman: Has India's response to Washington changed?
)
South Korean drama Teach You a Lesson to return with season 2? Director reveals
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Top 7 tax-free income sources every Indian taxpayer should know
)
Marco Rubio's response to deaths of Indian sailors sparks backlash, opposition targets Modi's silence
)
IND vs AFG, 2nd ODI: When and where to watch live streaming in India?
)
Telegram banned in India? NTA clarifies restrictions on messenger app ahead of NEET 2026 re-exam
)
Thirty-four human foetuses found in garden of Polish female doctor's, probe underway
)
India's $2 billion drone push: Why batteries could be biggest winner in defence-tech boom
)
Dramatic footage captures moment Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashes in Siberia | WATCH
)
Shocking new details emerge in Brazil bungee-jumping accident: 21-year-old may have been alive after fatal 130-foot fall
)
Iran was preparing to attack Israel, suspended US deal after Beirut strike, says report
)
US-Iran war ends - But did Trump achieve his ‘objectives’? WION Decodes
)
Antarctica feels the heat in June as temperature soars 20 degrees Celsius above normal
)
G7's new reality: India, Brazil and other middle powers are becoming impossible to ignore
)
Erika Kirk to remove ‘kirk’ from her last name? This is the truth of viral claim
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
B-52 vs Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear-G": Comparing technical profile of US and Russia strategic bombers
)
Modi at G7: Global South has a seat at the table, but is anyone listening?
)
DRDO successfully tests indigenous Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile
)
Israeli radars to be made in Tamil Nadu from 2027
)
Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela share first glimpse of newborn twins on 14th anniversary: 'Heart Is full'
)
Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale's final social media post goes viral after tragic death
)
‘No food in the fridge’: Why Elon Musk, world’s first trillionaire, lives in 400 sq ft home?
)
'Obsolete Victorian view': NCERT to restore original Mohenjodaro Dancing Girl image after controversy over forced modesty
)
Eight feared dead after US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes at California's Edwards Base
The supporters of this flightless bird campaigned in a normal fashion with meme wars, getting tattoos, and celebrity endorsements to seek votes for this long contest.
The second position was claimed by the tiny, "goth" black robin only found in Chatham Island of New Zealand. The third was kākāpō, the large, owl-faced parrot, which won the 2008 and 2020 competitions.
The population of the rare hoiho penguin is estimated to be around 4,000-5,000 in the world, according to the Department of Conservation. Over the last 15 years, the number of breeding birds in the mainland has significantly dipped by 78 per cent, 18 per cent of it being last year, said the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust.
The Bird of the Year competition was started in 2005 to increase awareness about the conservation of native birds in New Zealand. Many of the birds are already extinct or on the brink of extinction due to human activity, habitat loss, and pests.
(With inputs from agencies)
