The Dunedin City Council is officially backing the rakish red-billed gull, or tarāpunga, to fly away with the 2025 Bird of the Year title.
Agile on foot and graceful in flight, the iconic red-billed gull is a familiar sight (and sound) at beaches, parks and tips across the country.
“Admittedly, they have a bit of a PR problem and can ruffle feathers when they swoop in and swipe people’s chips, but New Zealand wouldn’t be the same without them,” says Mike Costelloe, Manager of Enterprise Dunedin.
“The red-billed gull is the stand-out candidate to vote for this year because it’s cheeky, charming and quintessentially Kiwi. Plus, it has very cute babies – an advantage for photo opportunities on the campaign trail.”
Sadly, tarāpunga numbers are decreasing rapidly nationwide, largely due to predation and a shortage of krill, their preferred food, which drives them to scavenge. The bird’s conservation status is ‘at risk – declining’, and the national population is predicted to plummet by an alarming 50-70% over the next 30 years.
However, Dunedin’s Taiaroa Head is home to the only red-billed gull breeding colony in the country where the population is increasing, thanks to predator control efforts and other coastal conservation work around the city.
“In supporting the red-billed gull for Bird of the Year in 2025, we hope people will take the time to discover more about these misunderstood manu and maybe even learn to love them,” says Mr Costelloe.
The Dunedin City Council joins a flock of other local organisations campaigning for the tarāpunga this year, including the Wildlife Hospital, The Monarch, Otago Shore and Land Trust, Port to Port Ferry and Wildlife Tours, the Royal Albatross Centre and OPERA Wildlife Conservation Tours.
Voting is open at www.birdoftheyear.org.nz until 5pm on Sunday 28 October.