Takahē – for Bird of the Year!

The Science Learning Hub wants you all to vote for the amazing takahē (aka the enigmatic, ENORMOUS, rainbow chicken!). Join Team Takahē now and let's get this iconic species crowned Bird of the Year. 

The Hub has extensive resources on the takahē – a true conservation icon! Takahē – an introduction provides an overview of the resources. 

Transcript

Aotearoa, let's make this YEAR OF THE TAKAHĒ!

Here at the Science Learning Hub we stand with these magnificent swamp hens – the BIGGEST swamp hens in the entire WORLD! As BIG as a chicken! Vote takahē and you vote body positivity.

Tougher than you – they live in brutal alpine conditions – WITHOUT CLOTHES – no microplastic fibre emitting polar fleece for these stylish body confident birds.

And they’re more than a pretty face – that mighty beak creates 10–15 kg of force when stripping tussock grass.

Vote takahē because the takahē blokes were stay-at-home dads thousands of years before it was cool – yeah takahē have it sorted, they share chick rearing.

Vote takahē because they do eight metres plus of POO A DAY – and that’s just awesome.

AND the pièce de résistance – this bird CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD – the last person to do that was Jon Snow and he’s not even real, people!

So this Bird of the Year don’t be tempted by the flitty flighty ones, the drunken yobbo pigeons or those green feathered show pony parrots – vote for the enigmatic, ENORMOUS, rainbow chicken – VOTE TAKAKĒ!

Acknowledgements
Footage of the world's most outstanding birds, by Scott Mouat, courtesy of Takahē Recovery
Sculptural masterpiece (concrete takahē, Te Anau), Tony Hisgett CC BY 2.0
Magnificent takahē on grass, Harald Selke CC BY-SA 2.0
Takahē poos, Karlene Taylor, Department of Conservation
Takahē skeleton, Otago Museum
Smooching takahē, Geoff de Lisle
Takahē papa with baby, Anja Kohler
Teenage takahē and takahē in sunshine, Kersti Nebelsiek
Takahē north of the wall, Sam Haultain
Windswept takahē, Neil Dalphin
Gobby pigeon, Geoff de Lisle
Show pony parrot, Department of Conservation, CC BY 2.0