New Zealand’s endangered black robin has been named the country’s Bird of the Year for 2026 after a record turnout in the annual conservation competition.
Known as karure in the Chatham Islands, the small black bird received more than 26,000 votes to finish ahead of the kākāpō and New Zealand falcon. Organisers said about 105,000 people took part in this year’s competition, the highest turnout recorded.
The victory highlights a remarkable conservation story. In the 1980s, only five black robins remained, including a single breeding female. A pioneering breeding programme helped the species recover, with the population now estimated at about 350 adult birds.
The black robin is found only on the remote Chatham Islands, about 800 kilometres east of New Zealand’s South Island. The birds live in lowland coastal forests on two protected, predator-free nature reserves.
Conservationists, however, warn that the species remains threatened despite its recovery. Available habitat on the two islands is approaching capacity, meaning the population cannot expand significantly without additional protected territory.
Efforts are under way to establish another safe population, including work to remove predators from Pitt Island. Feral cats and other introduced predators have historically posed a major threat to native birds across the Chatham Islands.
The annual Bird of the Year competition is organised by conservation group Forest & Bird and aims to raise public awareness of New Zealand’s native wildlife and the threats facing many species.
This year’s result also reflects growing public interest in conservation, with organisers saying roughly one in every 50 New Zealanders participated. About 88% of all votes were cast from within the country.
The black robin’s victory has therefore become more than a popular vote. It has placed renewed attention on one of New Zealand’s most successful but still unfinished wildlife recovery efforts.
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