Bird that pukes wins New Zealand’s Bird of the Century title

The puteketeke, a bird known for its unique mating style and vomiting behavior, has claimed the title of New Zealand’s Bird of the Century in the Bird of the Year competition, an annual event initiated to commemorate the centenary of the environmental organization Forest and Bird. This victory was fueled by the aggressive campaign orchestrated by American-British comedian John Oliver, who exploited a loophole in the competition’s voting system, earning it the new moniker “Bird of the Century.”

John Oliver’s unconventional and enthusiastic promotion of the puteketeke, or “Lord of the Wings” as he dubbed it, garnered global attention. This included appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and the erection of billboards in multiple countries. Nicola Toki from Forest and Bird noted that the puteketeke, initially an outsider, rose to prominence due to its peculiar appearance and mating habits.

Oliver, amused by the bird’s eccentricities, jokingly stated on his HBO show Last Week Tonight, “They are weird puking birds with colourful mullets. What’s not to love here?”

However, the comedian’s fervent backing of the puteketeke stirred controversy, with some New Zealanders and bird campaigners viewing it as “American interference” in the bird election. Supporters of other birds, such as the kakariki karaka and kiwi, voiced their concerns and urged people not to let Oliver disrupt the pecking order.

In response to the criticism, John Oliver humorously remarked, “This is what democracy is all about – America interfering in foreign elections.”

The Bird of the Century competition reached a level of intensity where instances of voter fraud were reported. Notably, a supporter of the eastern rockhopper penguin cast 40,000 votes, and another person from Pennsylvania in the US submitted 3,403 votes, although these were excluded from the final count.