New Zealand Bird of the Year 2026

New Zealand Bird of the Year 2026 has gone to the Karure black robin. A very cute little bird from the Chatham Islands. The surviving karure are descended from one breeding pair known as Old Blue and Old Yellow. There are currently approximately 350 karure, which is actually a huge amount compared to the 1980's when there were less than 10.

New Zealand Bird of the Year has a history of putting lesser-known native birds on the map and engaging people to have a greater awareness of the native bird populations on Aotearoa.

Please find my latest drawing below of the Karure. Bird of the Year 2026!