Bird-lovers had backed the wood pigeon as their favourite New Zealand bird. Photo / Tania Webb
The annual Forest and Bird poll for the Bird of the Year is once again ruffling feathers among the nation's birdlovers, and an Auckland radio presenter is running a PR campaign for the smallest contender.
Broadcaster Graeme Hill's backing for the grey warbler has prompted a move from
fifth place to first in the last days of the internet voting, which closes today.
"People call grey warblers dull, but they're the subconscious sound of New Zealand," he said. "Yet it is so tiny and secretive that it is rarely seen. And when it sings, the grey warbler puts in so much effort it literally shakes."
Hill complained when the wood pigeon - "that big fat green doofus" - was leading the annual vote for the top native bird, and called for votes for the warblers.
Critical of "block voting" for black-fronted terns, (dismissed as "sea-chooks") he said grey warblers deserved to win not only because of their singing, but because although they are the lightest native bird, they often get stuck with bringing up chicks fobbed off on them by shining cuckoos.
"Other people can lobby for their own choices, but grey is not dull, it's classy," said Hill, who signed an internet blog on the subject Secretary, Committee to Elect Grey Warbler.
Replies to his blog included advocates for kaka, weka, and kakapo, and PC calls for the grey warbler to be voted for under its Maori name, the riroriro. Others criticised tui as "gangland thugs" for being too territorial.
- NZPA
